Sarcastic Mask
by Ryusei VII
Summary: Hinata's failing Math and needs to find a tutor, pronto. The closest she can find, a pyrotechnics student.
1. What Ever Happened to Pluto?

**Information that may be helpful to the reader:** 1) Hinata, Naruto, Ino, Sasuke, those kind of people are in their last year of high school. 2) Neji, Tenten, and Lee are in their first year of college. 3) Orochimaru's not evil, he's just mean.

I have the next eight chapters written. They're in the process of being beta-ed. So if anyone actually cares about his story, I'll put up the other chapters.

Characters are very OOC. Bacause unless you're Masashi Kishimoto they're going to be. My disclaimer if you missed that.

**-:-**

"Ugh." Hinata groaned, smacking her head on the desk.

"Failed again huh?" Ino asked from the seat next to her.

"Yes" she admitted.

"Now, for those of you who failed, I want to see your test on my desk, signed by a parent or guardian, first thing tomorrow before class starts." Their Math teacher, Asuma told the class.

"I am in such deep shit." Hinata swore.

"I'm sure it'll be fine. I mean, you're doing fine in everything else. Your dad probably won't be too mad." Ino tried to reassure her.

"I'm getting a D- in Science." Hinata informed her blond friend.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Hinata stood up, sticking the accursed test in a random folder. Ino stood and followed her out the door.

"Oh."

"It's fine. I won't be going to hell just for failing a couple of classes." Hinata said, patting Ino on the arm to reassure her. "C'mon, its lunch break."

Many teachers had talked to her about her swearing problem and her fatalist attitude. She'd been sent to the school counselor, Kurenai, on numerous occasions. They were, of course, more worried about her morbid thought pattern than her bad language. She'd assured Kurenai that the fatalism was just something she'd picked up from her cousin Neji, whom Kurenai knew from experience was quite a fatalist himself, although he'd gotten better. And that it was nothing to be taken seriously. When asked about her language she'd claimed Kiba was a bad influence on her.

The two girls headed out into the courtyard. Hinata was somewhat depressed, and Ino was trying to cheer her up. They headed towards the tree where they and their friends sat every day for lunch.

"Hinata-chan, Ino-chan, over here." Naruto yelled, waving them over.

"Naruto, we've been sitting here for lunch every day for the past two months. Why would we need you to call us over? We know where it is!" Ino growled. She sat down next to Chouji and stole a chip from him. She was the only one who could do so and not get hurt.

"H-hi N-naruto-kun." Hinata stuttered, taking a seat next to him. She rarely stuttered anymore. She'd gotten rid of most of her nervous habits by the time she'd entered high school. But she still stuttered around Naruto.

"Hi Hinata-chan." Naruto greeted her with a grin.

Sasuke came over and sat next to Ino. It was undoubtedly the safest spot. As far away from Sakura as possible. Ino wouldn't rabidly attack him anymore. But she was still more than likely to start a fight with Sakura. Sakura was sitting next to Naruto, who had dragged her there from their last class and still held her arm in a vice-like grip. Sakura cursed the day that everyone ended up in different classes.

Hinata and Ino had ended up in one class. Sakura had been stuck with Naruto in another one. Sasuke, Chouji, Kiba, and Gaara all ended up in the same class. Shino was with Shikamaru. Whoo, look at all the action there. They had all been in the same class in junior high. But it seems the teachers finally got smart and split 'em apart.

Hinata didn't like being spilt up either. Without Sakura in her class, she had no one to cheat off of. Yes, she cheated on tests. Only sometimes though, not that that really changed anything. She'd usually end up sitting next to Sakura since their last names both started with 'H'. Once Sakura had caught her cheating. Hinata couldn't figure out for the life of her how though. The reason she was never caught was because of her pupiless eyes. You never knew where she was looking. But the point was Sakura caught her cheating. She didn't tell on Hinata though. They might not have been the best of friends, but they were still friends. And normally, friends didn't rat each other out.

Sakura had asked her after class about it. It was out of character for Hinata to do something like cheat. Hinata had decided to confide in Sakura after swearing her to secrecy. She'd explained how she'd been cheating all year. When Sakura asked why she was cheating Hinata had said it was because the family situation at home wasn't good and she didn't want to cause trouble. Even if it wasn't quite a truthful answer. Oh the things she did when desperate.

"Hey Hinata, how're Neji, Tenten, and Lee in college?" Kiba asked. He didn't like the silence that had fallen over the group.

"Fine, I guess. We don't really talk much anymore." she sighed.

"Like you talked to Neji much before either. The dude was the silent type, like Sasuke-kun." Sakura said, giggling at the last part. "And that Lee guy was creepy."

"Why, just because he had creepy eyebrows and happened to like you of all people?" Kiba asked.

Sakura was just about to retort when the bell rang, telling them to get off their butts and to their next class. Ino and Hinata headed off towards Science. Along the way Ino tried to figure out how Hinata could possily be failing, well almost failing, Science.

Walking into class, she suddenly remembered who taught it. 'No wonder, I'm surprised we all aren't.' she thought, slipping onto her stool. Hinata sat on the stool next to her.

"All right people, shut your mouths." Orochimaru hissed at his class. He seemed to do that a lot.

Everyone, of course, stopped talking and payed attention. Orochimaru was NOT the type of teacher you messed with. How he got to be a teacher was anyone's guess. Really. He had been very specific on the first day that anyone who got on his nerves would regret it. Let's just say after a few test they took his threat seriously. He scared them. A lot.

Hinata was confused. These types of classes just weren't her thing. English, Art, stuff like that she could do. But when it came to Math and Science, she just didn't get it.(Like Merks!) Her father didn't understand this. And to him, Math and Science were a lot more important than English and Art.

They were talking about the solar system. Right now they were on the planet Jupiter. She knew it was the largest of the nine, or was it eight - what did they decide Pluto was? - in the Solar System. But beyond that, she was clueless. She didn't get why Jupiter couldn't just be a really big chuck of rock floating in space. No, it had to be a mass of gases. Lots of different gases too. Gases the she would undoubtedly have to remember for some test in the near future. A test that she would fail in the end.

Finally, the last bell rang. Hinata and Ino went to their lockers and switched from wearing those funny sock things they were forced to wear around school to normal shoes. They grabbed their backpacks and went out onto the sidewalk. They would have waited for their friends, but they all had clubs after school.

"Hey Hinata, want to come over?" Ino asked.

"No, I should probably go home and show my dad that Math test. No reason to delay the inevitable." she sighed.

"Are you sure? I mean, he could ground you. And then you wouldn't be able to come over at all for a while." Ino said, turning to head towards her house.

"Yea, I'm sure." Hinata told her, turning in the opposite direction. 'Besides, being grounded would be a preferable punishment.'

**-:-**

Well...? Does anyone think I should put the rest up?


	2. Yea, that's right, I beat the sunlight!

Hey look its chapter two. Imagine that.

**Disclaimer: **I'm feeling uncreative, so, I don't own Naruto... Yet!

**-:-**

As Hinata walked through the door of the large three-bedroom town house her family owned she found herself hoping her father wasn't home. Then maybe she could just leave the test on the table and get out of the house until it was safe again. She was just deciding how best to word the note she would leave him when her father walked out of his study. "H-hi Dad." she called, getting his attention.

"Hello." he said dispassionately. He never had liked Hinata very much. That much was painfully obvious. She wasn't what he had hoped for in a daughter. No, her little sister Hanabi was what he wanted in a daughter. Hinata was too shy and passive to take over the family business. Yes, so Hinata wasn't meant to be a business leader of the world. Hanabi could do that; Hinata could undoubtedly find something more exciting to do with her life.

Her friends knew her father didn't like her. They just had no clue the extent to which he did so. There were reasons she became a good liar, cheated on tests, and became as social as possible. She hated being at home so she went over to her friends houses as much as possible. They never suspected a thing. They thought she just wanted to be around them, which was the truth. But she had other reasons as well.

Hinata wasn't afraid of many things anymore. Her father had gotten rid of that over the years. But her father, he did, and probably always would scare her. And her sister, well she just pissed the hell out of Hinata. But it wasn't like Hinata could do anything about it.

He walked past her, going towards the kitchen as she headed towards her bedroom. It was the smallest room in the house. So small in fact that her father's bathroom was larger. The walls were painted a light lavender with cream trim. The closet was only half-filled with clothes, but that was okay with Hinata. Unlike her little sister she could wear the same outfit twice in one lifetime. She pulled the test out and glared at it. Deciding to put off telling her father as long as possible she changed out of her uniform, an ugly blue and white ensemble, and into a pair of black pants and a violet shirt, a much better outfit. She brushed her long midnight blue hair into a high ponytail. She decided she wasn't quite ready to tell him so she spent an hour doing her English homework before going to tell him.

"A-ano, D-dad I n-need you to sign this." she told him, holding out the test.

"Why?" he asked.

"B-because I f-failed the test." she admitted.

The word 'failed' had put him on his guard; whatever she answered to his next question would decide her fate. "What subject?"

"M-math."

Had it been English he wouldn't have cared. But math actually mattered in the real world. "What?! You stupid girl, why can't you do anything right?! I bet you if your sister took that test she would ace it, and she's five years younger than you!" he yelled. Hinata shrunk back away from him. Hiashi stepped forward and slapped the girl. Hinata didn't even bother crying out knowing it would only bring on more abuse.

"You worthless, pathetic girl. You're such a waste of life. I want you to go out and solve this little problem you've created. And I don't want you coming back until you have." he ordered her. He ripped the test out of her hand and shoved her out the door. Luckily she had been expecting this and had her shoes and jacket on already.

Walking out into the bright sunlight Hinata decided she should have brought a pair of sunglasses too. The light was hurting her delicate pale lavender eyes.

'Maybe I should go back for a pair of sunglasses.' she thought.

_'No, that's exactly what he wants!'_ a voice in her head yelled.

'Two questions: Who the hell are you and what do you mean by that?'

_'Well, I'm just one of those annoying inner voices everyone has and I mean, going back would just give him another excuse to abuse you.'_

'Ah-huh, I think I get what you mean. I've got to prove to him that I can tough it out.'

_'Yea, that's right, you go girl. And ignore the fucking sunlight!'_ the voice cheered.

"Cheesy." Hinata muttered.

Hinata headed towards school where the after school clubs were just getting out. 'So whom do I know that's good at math?' she asked herself.

Scanning the crowd the first person to pop out was Naruto. 'No, he's probably doing worse than I am.'

Then she saw Sakura next to him. 'She's got prep school after this, so no.'

Then came Shikamaru. 'He's a genius, so of course he's good at math. But if he's too lazy to take a math test, he's too lazy to tutor me.'

Next Gaara came into her line of vision from one direction and Sasuke came from the other. 'I can't ask either of them. I don't know them well enough.'

And she knew Ino was out of the question. She had a job after school.

Sighing she looked around for the last two people she could ask. She found them when Akamaru barreled around the corner. 'Should I ask Kiba-kun and Shino-kun? No good, Shino-kun is busy with that stuff he'll never tell anyone about and Kiba-kun is just as bad as Naruto-kun in school.'

Hinata turned around and walked away from the school. She'd just have to find help from someone else. 'Maybe I could ask Neji-nii-san?'

_'Nope, he's in college now, remember?'_ the voice piped up.

'Damnit, you're right. That about covers everybody I know then.'

_You could always go to one of those after school study places.'_

'You mean a prep school?'

_'Yea, that's it!'_

'I guess its worth a shot.'

So Hinata headed into town. 'Now where might I ask, inner voice, would I find one of those "after school study places?" As you call them.'

_'How, might I ask, outer voice, should I know? Your knowledge is my knowledge.'_

'Lovely.'

Eventually she found one, after three hours of searching. Walking inside she noticed it was already filled with students.

_'Its like School # Two!'_ the inner voice yelled.

'This was your idea remember, so shut it!' she mentally growled.

The voice squeaked. _'Yes, ma'am!'_

"Hello dear, what can I do for you?" the lady at the desk asked. Her voice sounded cheery but Hinata was used to hearing people talk like that and could see right through it.

"I wanted to know if I could possibly take some math classes after school." she told the lady.

"I'm afraid it's already too late. All of our classes have been filled for almost four months."

"Do you know of any place I could go?" she asked.

"Sorry, but everyplace is going to be filled up by now."

Hinata huffed and turned around. She went back out the door and to the park across the street. She sat down on a bench and leaned her head back. She noticed it was getting dark, and fast.

She didn't want to go home, even if she could. That could be suicide. Well, not literally. Okay well, maybe literally, you never know. She may have said there was nothing to worry about. But she was a fatalist, and Neji had nothing to do with it. Her father had always told her she was doomed from the get-go. So of course she picked up on that. Her father was to blame for her condemning mindset, not her cousin. But it was so much easier to blame it on her cousin since no one would think twice about it.

A cousin's fatalistic attitude rubbing off on his younger cousin was one thing. A father telling his daughter lies that ended up giving her a fatalistic mind set, was something completely different. And yes, in the back of Hinata's mind was a small part that still listened to logic and knew her father was a liar. And that part had a voice. Not that Hinata knew that the annoying voice inside her head was probably going to end up saving her life at some point or another.

"Ah!" she groaned. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!"

"Ya know, a young lady shouldn't swear so much, un."

**-:-**

strokes invisable goteeHmm, I wonder who that could be.

Review?


	3. Save the Kitties!

She looked up and was almost face to face with a blond haired girl. At least it looked a hell of a lot like a girl.

_Are you kidding me? Didja here that voice? Way to deep for a chick.'_ Her inner voice gave her the answer.

'Fine, so it's a dude. What's HE want?' she asked the voice. It seemed to have all the answers.

_'How should I - Hey, I think he's talkin' to ya!'_

Indeed he was. Or more like he had been trying to talk to her but had given up when she zoned out. He had gone to waving a hand in front of her face.

"Ano, gomen. Now, who the he-" she started but was cut off when the guy clicked his tongue at her impending swear word.

She snorted at that but gave in. "Fine, who're you?" She crossed her arms and leaned back against the bench waiting for an answer.

He sat down next to her. "Names Deidara, un."

"Right, what'd you want?" she asked. Her tone clearly saying go away. She wasn't feeling very sociable at the moment.

"I was just curious as to why you're so angry un."

"I'm not angry. Besides they say curiosity killed the cat."

Deidara looked appalled at this. "The poor cat, un! We must save it, un!"

Hinata just blinked and stared at him. Was he mentally retarded? "Please tell me you're joking."

"Quite possibly, un." he said with a grin. "Now why're you angry, un?"

"I told you I'm not angry."

"You're choice of words speaks otherwise, un."

"Well aren't we smart? Fine so maybe I am angry. What exactly does this have to do with you?"

"I don't know, un. Maybe I could help, un."

"Are you hitting on me?"

'No, un. I'm genuinely curious, un." He grinned. "Would you like me to hit on you, un?"

Hinata backed away slightly. This guy was like Naruto: hyper and in your face. They looked a lot alike too. Except Deidara's eyes had more green in them. And of course his blond hair was a lot longer than Naruto's. Deidara also seemed more mature than Naruto, or at least he could talk like he was. Apart from the 'un's that is. "No thanks."

"Okay, un. Now spill, un," he said. He opted to take the smart path and not try to invade her space. Seriously, was this guy a stalker?

Most parents tell their children: "Don't talk to strangers." Hinata's father had too. And technically she was already talking to a stranger. But at seventeen she figured she was old enough to decide for herself whether or not a person was okay to talk to. Of course either way telling a complete stranger what'd been going wrong in your life lately was still probably not the brightest idea. But Hinata needed to fix this problem or she wouldn't be going home tonight. And this guy just might be able to help. Ah, the things desperation makes one do.

"Fine. If you must know, I need to find someone to help me bring my math grade up. Or I don't go home tonight." she admitted.

"You mean like a tutor, un?" he asked.

"Pretty much."

"All right, I have two solutions to your problem, un. One, I tutor you, un. Two, you come home with me tonight, un."

Hinata shuddered, this guy... "You're trying hit on me again."

"No I'm not, un. I'm simply offering you my assistance, un. You don't need to take it, un."

"I don't plan on it. Well, at least not choice number two. Are you even good at math?"

Deidara grinned and sat up proudly. "I'm a pyrotechnics student at the university, un. Good math skills are required, un."

"Good. So if my dad asks who you are I can say you're one on Neji-nii-san's friends."

Deidara cocked his head to the side. "Neji, un?"

"My cousin. He's studying philosophy at the university."

"Ah, okay, un. When do you get out of school, un?"

"Two."

"Great, my classes are done by then, un. Come to my apartment after you get out of school, un." he told her scribbling his address down on a piece of paper.

"You know you sound like some psycho stalker out to get me." she pointed out.

"I'm not, un. I'm to educated for that, un." he reassured her as he handed her the paper. The moment it was in her hand he hugged her. She tried not to wince at the contact. "Bye Hina-chan, un!" He waved as he walked away. Towards his apartment she guessed.

_'Did he just...?'_ her inner voice asked.

"My math tutors a freak."

_'No need to state the obvious.'_

'Shut up.'

Hinata walked home slowly. The more time away from her father the better. Also she wanted to try and figure out what was up with that Deidara guy. She was curious to say the least. It probably wasn't the smartest idea to just agree to go over to his house. But like she said: "They say curiosity killed the cat."

By the time Hinata got home it was well past her curfew. But she figured her father would have to make an exception considering he was the one that told her to stay out until she'd solved her problem.

No such luck.

"You damn girl, where the hell have you been?!" her father yelled. He grabbed her hair and yanked her towards him.

Hinata didn't give him a reply. No need to add fuel to the fire.

He threw her to the floor. "Oh, so you're not going to answer me?! Stupid Bitch!"

Okay, so plan A didn't. Let's try plan B!

"Y-you told m-me to go a-and find a t-tutor. Y-you said I couldn't c-come home u-until I did."

Did she mention she stutters around her father too? Nasty habit!

"And did you find one?" he asked.

"Y-yes."

"Good girl. But you still have to be punished for staying out past your curfew." His voice was soft. But it was the kind of soft that made you shiver.

He yanked her up by her hair again, this time only half way though. He kicked her in the stomach and the force of the blow pulled her hair out of his grasp. Although a few strands lingered in his hand. Hinata curled up into a ball to protect herself. This was a daily routine for her and she knew how to deal with it. As the blows from her father continued to rain down on her she ignored them. The only thought she paid them was this: 'Emotional abuse as an appetizer. And physical as the main course.'

Finally her father got tired and went to bed. Hinata lied there for a while, waiting for the pain to subside to a dull ache. When it did Hinata uncurled from the ball and went into the bathroom.

Time to nurse her wounds.

'And for dessert: first-aid.'


	4. Daily Routines Should Burn!

I know this is a day late, gomen. Adn don't ask me why they have English class. They just do.

**-:-**

"Yo." Hinata dropped into the chair next to Ino. First class of the day, English, oh joy! It wasn't that she didn't like English. She was actually doing well in it. But how did HE end up teaching it?

"Man Hinata, you look beat." Ino told her. Little did Ino know Hinata really was. In the literal sense of the word.

"I was up late last night." Hinata skirted around the truth. No need to get Ino worried about how close to the truth she was. And Hinata really was up late. She'd spent more than an hour bandaging her wounds. If she were ever forced to take a first-aid class... she'd ace it without a problem.

Ino was about to ask why when the teacher walked in. "Dokay people. Take a seat."

Like everyday Ino asked the teacher the same thing. "Hey, Jiraiya-sensei, can't ya talk correctly?"

And like everyday Jiraiya would tell her: "'Ya', is not a word."

Ino would of course point out that "'Dokay' is not a word either."

And it would go on from there. Hinata would just sit in the seat next to Ino and rub her temples. This got really annoying after it happened day in and day out.

_'Another daily routine!'_ her inner voice squealed. It actually sounded happy, about this. Hinata despised daily routines. That was mostly because almost all the daily routines in her life were bad. Daily routines, like her having to come to school, and having to go home to her father.

The argument finally ended and they started class. They were on, what, poetry now? What did Jiraiya now about poetry? Everyone knew he was just a perverted old man who only got horny when he wrote those porn books of his. They should really fire him, and Orochimaru. But they were the principle, Tsunade's, childhood friends. Really this school was kinda pathetic.

But luckily Hinata would be done after this year. And her eighteenth birthday was coming up. Which meant she could move out. She'd been saving up money to get her own place since her father started beating her. She hated living at home and didn't plan on staying there any longer than she had too.

"Hinata" Ino called.

Hinata shook her head. "Wha?"

"Hyuuga-san, how many couplets are in an iambic pentameter?" Jiraiya asked.

"Five, each having two syllables." She gave him the answer in a flat voice. She may have been good in English, but she didn't like poetry too much.

"Correct-emondo!" Jiraiya yelled before moving on to torture someone else.

_'He's freaky. And highly unqualified in my opinion.'_ the voice pointed out the obvious.

'Of course he's freaky. What teacher in this fucking place isn't?' Hinata asked the voice sarcastically.

_'Deidara's freaky too. So that makes every teacher you have.'_

'True, true. I have to go over there after school today don't I?'

_'Yup!'_

'You seem happy about that.'

_'I like Deidara, he seems nice.'_

'Exactly, he SEEMS nice. My father seemed nice too. Until I was about eight.'

In math she got in trouble for not bringing her test back. She had to lie to the teacher and tell him she just left it at home. The truth was it was in her backpack. She'd never got it signed, because c'mon, when had she had the chance? Luckily Asuma believed her and told her to bring it in tomorrow. She would just have to forge her father's signature tonight.

The day went by fast. Too fast for Hinata's liking. Ino of course wanted to know where she was going. For once Hinata told her the whole truth. She was going to her tutor's house. Before Ino could ask anymore Hinata had walked away.

Finding Deidara's place was easy. Getting there was not. It was on the opposite side of town from her school. She had to take two buses and walk four blocks to get there. By the time she got there and climbed the five fights of steps - there was no elevator - to his apartment she felt like she'd run one of those big, long Olympic marathons.

Thankfully Deidara opened the door before she got to knock twice. "Where've you been, un?" he asked stepping aside to let her in.

She stepped inside and looked around. Deidara's apartment was moderately sized. One bedroom, one bath she guessed. Which meant he didn't have a roommate.

_'He could have a girlfriend though.'_ her voice pointed out.

'Whoopee for him.' She mentally threw some confetti in the air, oh so enthusiastically.

Deidara shut the door. "So, ya gonna answer the question or just stand there like some pretty statue, un?" he asked.

Hinata huffed "You hit on me again." she pointed out. "Do you have nothing better to do?"

"I have plenty of better things I could be doing, un. But I'm helping you, un. So be grateful and answer the question, un."

She sat down on the couch and set her backpack next to her. "I've been getting here," she growled. She took her math book out of her backpack and slammed it on the wooden coffee table.

Deidara sat down on the couch next to her. "How far away is it, un?" he asked. He picked up her math book and started flipping through it.

"Two buses and four blocks." She pulled out a notebook and pen. "Its page 42."

He flipped to the page and then started laughing.

"What?"

"Its only algebra, un."

"It's unnatural. There are LETTERS, its math, there shouldn't be any letters." she exclaimed. She grabbed the book from him and put it down in between them on the coffee table. "Now, are you going to help me or not?"

"Un, un." He looked at the first problem. It wasn't very hard, but considering Hinata's attitude, she'd probably need his help. "Try it by yourself first, un."

"Some help you are." she huffed but began attempting to do the problem.

Five minutes later she'd given up. "Help." she ordered sliding her paper over so he could see it.

Deidara didn't laugh. But he wanted to. Her scribbles covered the paper and he couldn't make out any of numbers or letters. He flipped to a clean sheet of paper. "You're problem is you started all wrong, un."

"Well then, help me start right." She took her notebook back. Deidara showed her the correct way to do the problem. He then told her to do the rest on her own. Let's just say he could see why she needed a tutor.

"Hina-chan, when's that due, un?" he asked. It was getting late and he figured she should probably head home. But she obviously still needed help on the assignment.

"Friday. (It's Wednesday) And since when can you call me 'Hina-chan'?"

"Since I decided I could, un." He grinned.

Hinata rolled her eyes and began picking up her things and putting it in her bag. "So, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yep." He grinned. He walked her the fifteen feet to the door. He hugged her and again, Hinata tried not to wince as he brushed her bruises. Thankfully Deidara was sort of oblivious and didn't notice. When he let her go he opened the door like a gentleman who hadn't just been invading her personal space.

"Buh bye." she called as she walked out the door.

Two buses and three blocks later she was home. Her father was at a business meeting and Hanabi had probably gone with him. Hiashi took Hinata's little sister to most of his business meetings. Probably because he planned for Hanabi to take over it someday. But that didn't matter right now. What mattered was Hinata had the house to herself.

**-:-**

Alright, here's the deal: I'll put up the next chapter in four days instead of five. That is if you want the next chapter...


	5. Carousels Make Me Sick!

I have failed thee all! T.T But ya see I had to go see POTC3 yesterday so... un. And for all your waiting I give you such a short chapter. Its really just filler.

**-:-**

Hinata hated Sunday mornings. They were just another part of the painful circle her life had fallen into. And she'd be jumping on that lovely carousel in five... four... three...

"Hinata, you useless child, get out of bed and go shopping." her father yelled shaking her violently. "Get up, we're almost out of food."

Oh look, he was early this morning.

Hinata rolled off the other side of the bed to avoid her father. "Yes, father."

"You have ten minutes to be out that door." he told her before exiting her room.

Hinata as out in seven. No need to tempt her father's wrath. She slipped the food money into her pocket and stepped out onto the sidewalk. Her father was a punctual man, so the bus was just pulling up.

Hinata took a seat on the bus and pulled out her shopping list.

**Milk**

**Bread**

**Eggs**

**Cheese**

**Orange Juice**

**Butter**

**Pasta**

**Fruit**

**Vegetables**

**Meat**

**Rice**

'You'd think such a dysfunctional family would have a more interesting shopping list.'

'Ya got that right sister!' her little voice piped up.

'I don't think we're even related.' she told the voice and went back to the list.

**Popcorn**

**Cookies**

**Candy**

**Pads**

'Its hard to believe she's just NOW getting to that age. She's such a little bitch, she seems older.' Oh yes, Hinata hated Hanabi and avoided her just as much as her father.

_'Ya know. I'm glad we're not related if that's how you think of your sister!'_ the voice yelled. Hinata had a feeling if that voice had a body, it would be standing in front of her, hands on its hips, with a very appalled look on its face.

"Stupid fucking voice." she muttered.

"What did I tell you about young lady's and swearing, un?" a deep voice from in front of her asked.

"AHHH" she yelled. She leaned back on reflex and banged her head against the window. She rubbed the bump on her head. "Ow"

She looked up and had to try very hard not to laugh. There was Deidara standing in front of her, hands on his hips, and a very, sort of appalled sort of angry, look on his face.

"What do you want?" she asked, putting emphasis on the 'you'. She was NOT in a charitable mood right now.

Deidara plopped into the chair next to her. He didn't seem to notice that he had just caused her to bang her head against a window, or that she REALLY didn't want his company right now. "Nothing, un. I'm simply out to get food to restock my empty refrigerator and happened to run into you, un."

"Likely story. I still say your a psychotic stalker." she told him.

Deidara leaned back, making himself comfortable. Or as comfortable as you could get in a bus seat. "Why would I be stalking you, un? I see you Monday through Friday as it is, un. That's enough for me, un."

"Oh, so you're insulting me now?" she asked.

"No, I'm not insulting you, un. I'm simply saying that as of this moment I don't enjoy your company enough to wish to see you more than five days a week, un."

"So you don't like me?"

"No, I simply think your annoying, un."

They would have continued this rather pointless argument, had the bus not stopped at the business district of town. This was Hinata, and unfortunately for her, Deidara's stop.

Hinata got off the bus as fast as possible and walked away, hoping Deidara wouldn't follow.

He did. He came and walked next to her.

She was going to ignore him and keep walking. But hell, if he was going to call her annoying, might as well give him a reason too. "I thought you didn't want to have to spend anymore than five days a week in my company?" she asked him, her voice sickly sweet.

"Ahh, but you see, I've only had to spend Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday with you this week, un. Therefore, I have time to spare, un." Deidara pointed out being very smug about it.

Hinata groaned and banged her head against the air.

Deidara frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "What you don't want to spend time with me, un?"

"Pretty much." she admitted.

"Why not, un?" Deidara whined. "You don't like me, un?"

"Yup." Hinata nodded. "You're annoying."

_'Whoa, deja vu!'_ that annoying little voice put in.

They'd finally made it to the grocery store. Hinata went inside and to her dismay, Deidara followed her. She'd given up trying to annoy him and decided to just ignore him. She kept waiting for him to break off from her path and forge his own.

But he didn't. He followed her all the way around the store. He decided since she wasn't going to play the annoying hand he was. He constantly pointed out that she was buying the most expensive version of every item. She then had to explain to him that she was spending her father's money and didn't really care. When she grabbed some Pocky for herself he instantly asked if she was planning on playing the Pocky Game, and if he could play too. She had blushed and hit him over the head with a rolling pin that happened to be nearby. A blond haired idiot had come to mind.

Finally she finished shopping and checked out. Deidara was still following her and sat next to her on the bus. He was still talking, although what he was saying she had no idea, since she had tuned him out. Then she was shown some mercy when the bus pulled up to his stop and he got off.

"Oh thank Kami-sama, he's gone." she whispered looking out the window. "Like hell he doesn't wanna be around me. Dude's gotta be a freakin' stalker."

Hinata had been so keen on avoiding Deidara all morning; she forgot to get the pads for Hanabi...

**-:-**

I guess the next chapter comes out on the thirty-first. Or maybe I'l put it up early... It all depends on you readers.


	6. Steal Me Too?

For all of you annoyed with reading the 'un's, I got annoyed typing them. So they're gone altogether. Except for two. I left them in. As for the Pocky game, I'm not positive as to what it really is. But for my story it means when two people eat from opposite ends of a sick of Pocky 'till their ain't no Pocky left between 'em. If I'm wrong, XP. If it doesn't actually exist, XP. If I just gave you an idea, XD. Though I highly doubt this one. Spaghetti?

**-:-**

Hinata missed school on Monday. Why, you ask. Its kind of stupid really. She'd forgotten the pads for Hanabi, whop-didy-do, right? Wrong! Her father took this as Hinata trying to get back at her sister. Really, did Hinata look that stupid? She knew the consequences of something like that. But it didn't matter that she'd simply made a mistake and would gladly go out again and get Hanabi her pads. No, her father didn't care about that. All he cared about was the fact that Hinata had slipped up and now needed to be punished.

And punished she was. Her father had beaten her bloody. Except for her face. That was never injured. But anywhere else was fair game. She'd twisted her ankle and sprained a wrist. Her back hurt and she was too sore to move. That's why she was spending all of Monday in bed, bored. Because no one had been kind enough to leave her something to do with in reach. She'd even rather be with Deidara than all alone at her house.

And low and behold, Deidara felt the same way.

"Where is she?" he whined, asking absolutely nobody. He stood there silently for a second, almost as if he expected an answer.

There was asudden knock on his door.

"Hina-chan?" he called out.

"Who's Hina-chan? Does little Dei-dei have a girlfriend now?" a voice coming from the doorway asked.

Deidara spun around to see his three best friends at the door. Kisame, the one who had spoken, was tall with blue skin. No one really knows how that little anomaly happened, so we won't dwell on it. Next was Itachi, dark hair, dark eyes, it ran in the family. After that was Sasori, he liked to change his hair color, so it went from silver to red, and back again. He was as some called it, Deidara's partner in crime. ((Not literally!)) But he'd quit that life for a more respectable future as an art teacher. Itachi wanted to be a psychologist, and Kisame was studying marine biology.

Deidara pouted. "No, un."

Sasori took a seat at the kitchen table. "You're contradicting yourself. Which is it, yes or no?"

"No, un."

"You-"

"C'mon Sasori, be nice." Kisame grabbed four beers out of the fridge a set them on the table. Kisame. Deidara, and Itachi sat down with Sasori.

"Fine." Sasori scoffed.

"So, who's Hina-chan?" Kisame asked. He chugged half his beer down.

"She's the girl I'm tutoring."

And Kisame spit all that beer back out. "Oh, that poor girl!"

"Hey!"

"She's probably Sasuke's age." Itachi said, sipping his beer.

"How old is she Deidara?" Sasori asked. He hadn't touched his beer.

There was silence.

"You don't know?" Sasori guessed.

"She's in her last year of high school." Deidara exclaimed.

"Yep, Sasuke's age." Itachi nodded.

Deidara threw his hands up. "Can we stop taking about Hina-chan?"

Kisame chugged down the rest of his beer and took Sasori's, it wasn't like he was going to drink it. "No, because it's obvious you like her."

"So, she doesn't like me." Deidara sighed.

Sasori and Itachi sighed and shook their heads. Kisame patted Deidara on the back.

"Which strategy are you using?" Itachi asked.

Deidara looked sheepish. "The first one."

"Then try using the second one." Itachi pointed out the obvious.

"Not unless I know she at least likes me a little." Deidara said.

Kisame, Itachi, and Sasori looked at each other, evil glints in their eyes. "Boys, I think that was a challenge." Kisame purred. ((Yes, purred!))

Back at her house Hinata had been sneezing for the past fifteen minutes. Which was kind of bad since she didn't have any tissues around.

Bang

_'I think someone's home.'_ her inner voice told her. As if she didn't already know.

'Either that or its a thief breaking in.' she thought unenthusiastically. She kind of hoped it was. Maybe they'd steal her too.

Her inner voice stopped her train of thought. _'There's like five locks on the front door. Plus there's the fancy-smancy security system.'_

Well, time to trash that idea than. 'True.' she mentally sighed. She looked at the digital clock on the side table. The red numbers read 9:56. Her father was home late. Never a good thing.

Hinata's bedroom door opened to reveal Hanabi. "She's in here father." Hanabi called to their father.

Hanabi turned to look at her a smirk on her face. Her expression clearly said 'You're so in for it.'

Great, just great.

She heard her father's footsteps coming down the hall towards her room. She swore her hearing was attuned towards sounds leading towards her demise. Then her father stood in her doorway in all his terrifying glory. He walked up and kneeled beside her bed. Hinata could smell alcohol on his breath. "Have you been in bed all day?" he whispered.

"Y-yes." she answered.

"And what makes you think you can do that?" he asked sadistically.

"Y-you, I-i c-can't..." she stuttered trying to answer.

He picked up her hand. It was the one he had sprained yesterday. "Oh, you poor thing, you're scared aren't you?" There was a sickening 'crack' as he broke her wrist. "Good." Hinata winced and bit back a cry of pain. Hiashi dragged her up out of bed by her now broken wrist. He pushed her up against the wall, a hand around her throat. "No more free day." He threw her on the floor and began kicking her. Stomach, back, anywhere but the head. No, he wouldn't give Hinata the satisfaction of a bruise others would see. No, this was their secret.

Finally he got bored and left. Hanabi, who had watched the whole time, as if she was taking notes, followed him. Hinata crawled back onto her bed and curled up into a ball. She was going to have to go to school tomorrow.

**-:-**

Another short one. But I had to bring in Itachi, Kisame , and Sasori.


	7. Shapes, Good or Bad?

Another chapter. That's all I have to say for now.

**-:-**

Tuesday morning at school Hinata thanked Kami-sama she didn't have gym anymore. She was still sore all over. And having to run around for an entire period was not her idea of a fun time. But we needn't dwell on her non-existent gym hour. Hinata had math now, oh joy. And they were on geometry now. Area, volume, quadrilaterals, fun!

Ino was giddy with joy. Or as much joy as could be found in math. You see, Ino was good at geometry. And okay with everything else in math. Lucky.

Asuma stood at the chalkboard telling the class how to find the volume of a cone. There was a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. He was lucky his father was the old principle. Seriously, was there a qualified teacher in this place?

_'No such luck.'_ her inner voice sighed. _'I've checked.'_

Hinata raised an eyebrow in suspicion. 'And how'd ya do that?'

The voice laughed sheepishy. _'I um ... just have okay.'_

'Right.' She turned back to pay attention to the teacher. She had a feeling she'd missed something since she was utterly and completely lost. She blamed that stupid voice of hers. She'd have to ask Ino for her notes later.

Later turned out to be in a half hour under that same old tree in the courtyard. But Hinata wasn't getting a break, oh no. Ino hadn't taken notes. She sincerely hoped Deidara knew how to do that shit, or she was screwed.

"Hey Hinata-chan." Naruto yelled. He came over dragging Sakura with him. Hinata felt bad for the girl, but what she wouldn't give to be in the same class as Naruto. "Guess what. I, you, Sakura-chan, and Sasuke-teme are going to be in the same art class."

What was she giving up now?

"R-really, that's g-great N-naruto-kun." Hinata stuttered.

Naruto looked at her curiously. "What happened to you arm?"

Ino perked up. "Oh yea, I was meaning to ask you about that."

"O-oh, well, I just had a little accident yesterday. That's why I wasn't here." She answered and unconsciously ran a finger over the make-shift splint.

Naruto accepted her answer, along with Sakura. But Ino narrowed her eyes in suspicion before nodding her head.

Since Naruto's was distracted Sakura jerked out of his grasp and went over to cling to Sasuke, who had just arrived. "Didja hear that Sasuke-kun. We're going to be in the same class." Sakura cooed. Sasuke groaned. Who had put them all in the same class? He needed to find whoever it was and kill them.

Elsewhere in the shadows of a grove of trees in the same courtyard as Hinata, Naruto, and the others were having lunch, Deidara, Itachi, kisame, and Sasori were plotting. Well, more like Itachi, Kisame, and Sasori were plotting because they left poor Deidara out of their plans.

"What're you guys planning? Tell me." Deidara demanded.

"No." the other three said in unison.

"So that's the plan?" Itachi asked.

Kisame patted his friend on the back. "Yup."

Itachi rolled his eyes and stepped out from their hiding spot.

"Wait, where's he going?" Deidara asked.

Sasori shushed him "Just watch."

Itachi walked over towards Hinata. Not the group, just Hinata. Who was facing the other direction, talking to Ino. Suddenly she heard someone say her name from behind her. "Yes?" she asked, turning around. She expected to find a classmate behind her, probably wanting to ask her a question. Instead she saw a guy with black hair and eyes. A guy she didn't know.

He didn't say anything. He just hugged her. Hinata's eyes widened for an instant. Then they narrowed in anger. "What the fuck?" she yelled and pushed the guy off. He just smirked and walked away.

Hinata turned back around to find all of her friends staring at her curiously. Well, Sasuke looked more mad than curious.

"Hey Hinata, you got a boyfriend you didn't tell us about?" Ino asked.

"How the hell do you know Itachi?" Sasuke asked at the same time.

Hinata just blinked and stared at them for a second in a daze. "Who was that just now?" she asked.

Sakura balked. "You mean you don't know him?"

Hinata shook her head. "I don't remember ever meeting him before."

Ino huffed and sat back down on the ground. "Damn, and here I thought you'd finally found yourself a boyfriend."

Sasuke was still staring at Hinata, 'Is Itachi sick? Going up to a chick he doesn't know and hugging her. If this is what college does to you, I'll pass.' He mentally nodded at his descision.

"Sasuke-kun." Sakura cooed and clung to the Uchiha again. Sasuke growled and tried to shake the girl off. No such luck. Sakura was there to stay. He sat back down on the ground, unwillingly pulling Sakura down with him. Why, oh why did he have to have art with her?

"What was that?" Deidara asked. He did NOT like Itachi hugging Hinata. They knew he liked Hinata and yet they planned something like this? Some friends they were.

"We were proving that Hinata liked you." Sasori told him.

Deidara looked suspicious. "And how'd that prove anything?"

"You've hugged her before right?" Itachi asked him. Deidara nodded, looking confused. "And what does she do when you hug her?"

"Nothing." Deidara answered. "At least, she doesn't push me away."

"Exactly. Therefore she must like you." Kisame said and patted the blond on the back. "So time to try strategy number two."

Deidara pouted and stalked away. "Just stay out of my life!"

He could hear them laughing behind him. Yes, he had terrific friends.

Hinata walked up the stairs to Deidara's apartment very glad her birthday was coming up soon. She was still sore and having to walk four blocks, take two buses, and walk up five flights of stairs, was not her idea of fun. Deidara had better know his shapes, or she was going to be very put out.

Deidara opened the door promptly like always. Did he wait by the door for her? Little did she know, he actually did. "What's wrong Hina-chan? You look angry." he asked, although he could guess why she woud be angry.

"How much do you know about geometry?" she asked him.

"Not much." he answered carefully. Her tone scared him.

Her face darkened. Deidara knew she was mad at him. He gasped and clung to her. Much like Sakura had been doing to Sasuke earlier today. "I'm sorry Hina-chan." he apologized. Hinata just glared at him out of the corner of her eyes. She had a new respect for Sasuke now.

**-:-**

For now ends now. What do you think of Deidara's new attempt at getting 'Hina-chan'? If you hate it tell me. I have yet to decide how long he's going to act like this. Your opinions will help me decide.


	8. The Ups and Downs of a Red Stripe

Go with me on this or it won't work. This is my reality and I can bend it any way I see fit.

**-:-**

Hinata awoke the morning of December twenty-seventh not excited at all. So it was her eighteenth birthday. She wouldn't celebrate until she moved out. And since she'd counted the money she'd been saving up last night, that day, was not today. She still didn't have enough money despite ten years of saving.

There were no presents or birthday wishes from her father or sister. She'd hadn't gotten one from her father in ten years and had never gotten one from her sister before and didn't expect one this year.

At school her friends wished her a happy birthday. Ino and Naruto had given her gifts. Nothing big, just a small journal from Ino and coupons for free ramen from Naruto. Kiba and Shino said they were giving her her gift later. She wasn't close enough to anyone else at school to merit receiving a gift. Not that it really made a difference to her.

"So, Hinata-chan, meet me at my house tonight at seven, okay?" Ino put an arm around Hinata's shoulders.

Hinata looked at Ino out of the corner of her eyes suspiciously. "Why?"

Ino giggled. "It's a surprise, just come, please."

Hinata huffed but nodded her head. She then spun out of Ino's hold and headed off to English. Ino turned around and gave her other friends a thumbs up before going off to English.

At six-thirty Hinata left her house. Her father wasn't home, so she left him a note saying she'd be home before curfew. She headed through the night towards the bus stop. She wasn't sure what her friend was planning but whatever it was, she was sure she wouldn't like it. She made it to the bus stop, but the bus wasn't there, which meant she has to stand in the dark and wait, joy. She spent about ten minutes standing there until the bus came. She walked on expecting to see a familiar blond. Thank Kami-sama she didn't. She wasn't in the mood to deal with his new clingy attitude. 'Freak doesn't even begin to explain the dude.' she thought.

_'Ah, that's mean.'_ her inner voice whined. It didn't know when to shut up did it?

'So? Its the truth.' she told the voice.

The voice and she argued of how much of a freak Deidara was the entire bus ride. Her inner voice was pointing out all of his good points while Hinata would point out some bad thing that nullified each good point. She was so engaged in the argument with herself that she would have missed her stop, had the voice not pointed it out.

'Oh shit.' she mentally yelled. She ran off the bus and tripped on the curb because of her rush. "Fuck." She sat on the sidewalk and pulled up her pant leg. Squinting in the minimal light she examined her knee. Hinata had enough experience with bruises to know it would indeed bruise. 'Hey look, I've got a bruise my father had nothing to do with.'

_'Whoppe for you. If you'd look at the time, you'd see you're going to be late.'_ her voice told her sweetly.

Hinata growled, but glanced at her watch. It read six-fifty-five. 'I'm not running, so that girl can just wait.' She pushed herself to her feet and began walking down the sidewalk towards Ino's house. Her knee hurt but she hardly noticed it considering she walked around covered in bruises almost constantly now. Ten minutes later she made it to Ino's house.

"There you are. You're late, ya know." Ino scolded her as she walked up to the group. Yes, group. All of her friends were there, including Neji, Tenten, and Lee. It seemed Ino had planned something to celebrate. Hinata hated surprises.

"Sorry. What are you planning Ino?" she asked suspiciously.

Ino grinned. "Oh, nothing." Her voice sounded innocent, but that grin spoke otherwise. Ino grabbed Hinata by the wrist and dragged her along behind her. Hinata turned her head and saw everyone else was following. So they were going somewhere.

Ino lead the group towards the entertainment district by the university. By this time Hinata had a pretty good idea of where they were going. Her birthday was the last one of the year. Ino pulled her through the door of the bar and the others filed in behind the girls. ((This is where you should start to use your imagination!)) Hinata got one whiff of the place and already didn't like it. It smelled like her father's breath when he got drunk.

Ino sat Hinata down on a bar stool, as if she was already drunk and couldn't do it herself. Ino sat on one side of her and Naruto sat on the other. Chouji sat next to Ino. Sasuke sat next to Naruto and Sakura sat next to Sasuke. And much to Sakura's dismay, Lee took the open seat next to her. Kiba and Shino sat at one of the tables with Shikamaru. Gaara, Hinata noticed, had neglected to come.

Ino ordered Hinata an assortment of beers, saying she had to give everything a try. Then she bought herself a couple shots of Tequila. She didn't drink them though. She watched Hinata intently. Hinata figured Ino was waiting for her to drink, so to appease her friend and get her off her back, she took a sip of the bottle nearest her. It was as bitter tasting as the first time. Ino nodded and downed her first shot.

After a short while everyone was too immersed in their own cups to notice Hinata. Even Neji, who usually refrained from drinking much at all, seemed to have let himself go for her birthday. She'd sampled all of the beers in front of her and hadn't really found any of them to appealing.

"Hina-chan." came a familiar, but unwelcome voice from somewhere behind her.

She lowered her head into her hands. "Shit."

Deidara sat down next to her in the chair Naruto had vacated when he'd gone to the bathroom to throw up she guessed. "I thought I told you no swearing?" He raised an eyebrow at the number of beer bottles behind her. "And aren't you underage?"

Hinata fronwed angrily. "Not as of today."

Deidara nodded. Somebody called to him from a table. He turned and grinned at the person before dragging Hinata over towards the table. Why did everybody seem to be dragging poor Hinata around today? Hinata was sat down at a table where three guys already sat. "Guys, this is Hina-chan. Hina-chan, these are the guys." Deidara sat down next to her.

"And do these guys have names?" she asked.

"Kisame." the one with blue skin introduced himself.

"I'm Sasori." The one with silver ((He dyed it again)) hair nodded in greeting.

She turned to the last one and her eyes narrowed in anger when she recognized his face. "You." she hissed.

The guy grinned. "The name's Itachi." He held out his hand but Hinata just stared at it. Deidara watched this exchange and kept thinking Hinata was going to bite the hand. She didn't and Itachi retracted his hand.

Hinata then turned to Deidara, still angry. "So, if you and Itachi here are buddies. You must have had something to do with that little stunt he pulled at my school." she mused.

Deidara cowered back in fear for a second, before clinging to the girl. "It was their idea Hina-chan. I had nothing to do with it, I swear. I didn't even know what they were planning until it happened." Hinata just glared at the four guys.

Kisame laughed at Deidara's antics. "You must be an angry drunk." he said to Hinata.

She pushed Deidara off of her and smirked. "More like sarcastic."

Deidara tilted his head to the side and looked confused. "But you're sarcastic all the time." he pointed out.

Hinata turned to him and grinned. "Exactly, and who said I was drunk?"

Deidara pouted. She had a point. Hinata decided to stay with Deidara and his friends, considering her friends had all drunk themselves silly. She found out more about Deidara and his friends during the couple hours they talked. She decided he was even more of a freak than she gave him credit for. She excused herself at eleven-thirty saying she, unlike them, had a curfew.

She walked up to the bar to pay for her drinks and found that Kiba and Shino were paying. That was her present from them she assumed. She looked around at all her friends spread out around the bar, drunk. She decided to just leave them there. It was their own fault after all.

She made it home just before her curfew. Thankfully her father wasn't home. So he wouldn't ever have to know where she was tonight. She took the note she'd left him, crumpled it up, and threw it in the trash. She went to bed early that night to sleep of any effects the alcohol had on her. And for once in a very long while, the only new bruise on her body was inflicted by the curb.


	9. Paint Brings People Together

This chapter explains a lot... I think.

**-:-**

It seemed everybody got home from the bar okay, since they were all at school the next morning. They were all hung over, but they were there. Hinata figured it would be a very quiet day. Most would have thought that they would have stayed home, since in most schools, getting drunk was frowned upon. But at their school, if you walked into the principle's office with a hang over, Tsunade was more likely to praise you, than scold you. She guessed you could say it was one of the advantages of having someone who rarely saw the bottom of a sake cup for a principle.

When the bell rang signaling the end of first period Hinata went to find the hung over Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. They'd need help getting anywhere today. Ino though, she had to leave to her own devices. Hinata just hoped her friend could find whatever class she had next. She found them clustered around Sasuke's locker. She walked up and saw they were eating pancakes. A good hang over food, she guessed. She'd seen her father eating them often enough the mornings after he came home drunk.

She decided to be nice and not bang on the locker to get their attention. Instead she tapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Naruto-kun." she said softly. Naruto jumped and turned around.

"Oh, hi Hinata-chan." Naruto's voice was gravelly, not its usual cheery tone.

"If you guys are done eating, we should go to art now." she whispered. All three nodded and followed Hinata down the hall. They were like lost puppies, if puppies could be hung over.

When they got to art Hinata set each of them at their respective easels. Hopefully they could paint on their own. Then she went and sat down at her own easel. Little did she know though, Sakura was even more easily angered hung over than when sober. She would have known, but her friends had refrained from getting drunk around her, since they didn't want to make her feel left out. Not that any of them noticed she wasn't hung over like the rest of them, and didn't feel the least bit left out. So how was she to know how they acted when hung over?

At the beginning of class the teacher took a minute to address the class. "We've got ourselves a student teacher from the university. So be nice." Kakashi told them before going behind his desk to read one of Jiraiya's books.

The student teacher hadn't appeared so the class just went on with whatever they were doing. Which for most of them, wasn't the paintings they were supposed to be doing. Naruto pulled some pancakes out of his pocket, Sasuke was staring off into space, and Sakura was nodding off. Hinata though, started to work on her painting. She enjoyed art and really had nothing better to do.

She was so absorbed in her painting; she didn't notice someone come up behind her. "Its good to see someone in this place has an appreciation for the arts." a male voice from behind her whispered in her ear. Did people like coming up behind her?

She turned around to see one of Deidara's friends, the one with silver hair. "You're... Sasori-san, right?"

He nodded and pulled a stool over. He sat down on it next to her. "Yup." He gestured towards her painting. "It's very good."

Hinata smiled. "Thanks. So, I take it you're the student teacher."

Sasori grinned. "Yea." He looked around. "But it doesn't look like I'll be doing much teaching."

She chuckled softly. "Probably not. This school isn't known for its talents in the arts. Or anything else for that matter." She then went back to her painting.

Sasori smiled knowingly at the girl before going off to see what the other students were trying to pass off as art. He was disappointed to say the least.

During this time Sasuke had stopped staring off into space. He looked aroud and spotted Naruto eating pancakes. He went over and demanded Naruto give him some. Naruto refused, rather loudly. This woke Sakura up. And as stated earlier, Sakura is easily angered, especially when she's hung over. She went to hit Naruto over the head for waking her up, but missed. So she settled for flinging some paint at him. Naruto flung some paint back, but at Sasuke. Sasuke flung some paint, but it hit another student in the baack of the head. That student turned and flung paint in some random direction. And that direction happened to be Sakura's. She shrieked and ducked. The painted sailed over her head and hit someone else. They flung paint at Sakura's crouched form, and she didn't have time to dodge this time.

This ended up turning into an all out war. Everyone against everyone. Except for three people. Kakashi ignored his students and concentrated on his book. Sasori decided, if they told him to leave because he didn't do anything to stop this, he'd thank Kami-sama. And Hinata well, she'd rather not come home splattered in paint. So she and Sasori stood on the sidelines and watched the class waste another hour of the day.

Hinata went home that day from Deidara's very tired. She sincerly hoped none of her friends got the urge to get drunk anytime when she'd have to deal with them. It was work. Especially since Tsunade had decided to play principle and lectured them on the "Proper Ettiquet of the Art Room." To Hinata it sounded like she was reading off a script.

Hinata sat on her bed and dug through her backpack. Her hand hit a small book. The only books in her backpack were textbooks. Which were accursedly large. She pulled out a small book bound in purple fabric. 'What's this?' she thought, holding the book up in front of her face.

_'Tis the journal you got from Ino yesterday, remember?' _the voice asked.

'No.' she admitted. She flipped through the book. It did indeed seem to be a journal, since the pages were all void of any print. She sighed and picked up a pen from the side table. 'Now you shut up.'

The voice whimpered_. 'If that's what you want than fine.'_

She opened the journal to the first page and thought for a second, the pen poised to write.

_Wow, I never thought I'd ever write in a journal. But I guess there's a first time for everything. So where to start? I guess I should tell you a little about myself. Let's start off with, I feel like a freak. I'm talking to a journal. I guess Deidara's rubbing off on me. He's my math tutor. He's freaky, but nice, I guess. He probably thinks I'm a sarcastic little bitch though. But I can't help it. Sarcasm is my defense mechanism. It happens around everyone. Except Naruto-kun and my father. And I guess Sasori-san too. Although I can't explain that one. _

_I guess I'll tell you about my father now. He's an abusive bastard. I can't wait to get out of this house. But I have to finish saving up enough money first. Then I'm out of here! He beats me and insults me at the same time. I hate it, and my sister just stands by and watches. She doesn't even care. She is just as bad as my father is._

_I suppose I should tell you about why my father is the way he is. It all started when my sister was born. My mother died giving birth to her. My father loved my mother. And I suppose he loved me too. I don't really remember. I was only five. For three years my father was depressed. When I was eight the doctors said he'd gotten better. I disagree; I say he only got worse. He started yelling me whenever I failed at something. Soon after he started both beating and insulting me for my short-comings. My sister though, excelled at everything, so she never had to experience any of the pain. _

_At first I was happy to bear all the pain. Hanabi was only three. It would have been wrong for her to have to deal with it. But after a few years, she started to watch as my father beat me. She didn't seem appalled at all. She watched with interest in fact. She began to seem... amused at my pain. I began to despise her. She didn't care about me at all. I had no one in the family to turn too. Because Neji-nii-san was the only other family member I was close too. And you could hardly call that close._

_I've never told any of my friends any of this. I don't want to burden them with my problems. Or pity me. I hate pity. Not that I ever see it much. Only from the few people I've ever tried to tell. My father has made it perfectly clear that he wants no one to know what goes on inside our little 'family'. Maybe I'm a coward, but I don't plan on telling anyone._

_Maybe I should mention I'm a fatalist too. You probably wouldn't guess it from talking to me. I hide behind the sarcasm. So I guess all the morbid thoughts that run through my head don't reach other people. Which is a good thing. Most people think my cousin is to blame for the fatalism. But, it's my father through and through._

_I guess this is all I have to say for now. But I should probably hide you. My father wouldn't be to happy to read this. And I would be in such deep shit; I wouldn't be coming back up for air._

**-:-**

Well, how much do you now understand? Anything at all? Anything you still don't get?


	10. Bad Resolve!

Don't ask about the beginning.

**-:-**

"I don't get it!" Hinata yelled with an aggravated sigh. She threw her notebook onto the table.

"Wha?" Deidara mumbled. He'd been trying to catch up on sleep.

Hinata turned and glared at her tutor. "Ya know, sleeping on the job is bad for business." She pointed out.

"But people tell me I look cute when I sleep." Deidara pouted.

Hinata rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm afraid I can't affirm that assumption. I've been a little busy. Geometry's not my thing." She gestured towards her notebook disdainfully.

"What's so hard about Geometry? It's just a buncha shapes." He said with a leery grin. Faster than Hinata could react he slipped a hand up her shirt to cup her left breast. "This, for example, is a circle."

"I know what a cir- Oh" she started, but couldn't suppress a moan when Deidara decided he wanted to play with her nipple.

Deidara smirked and leaned in to mutter in her ear. "You're liking your lesson, ne,

Hina-chan?" He gently tugged on her earlobe with his teeth before licking the shell of her ear.

Hinata shifted to whisper in his ear. "Oh yes, it really gets the point across." She pushed him off of her, much to his displeasure. But that didn't last longer than a moment, since immediately after that Hinata crashed her lips into his.

Deidara, not to be overpowered by his sweet little Hina-chan, pushed them into a sitting position. Which wasn't really such a hot idea since now they were vying for power, still in a passionate lip-lock.

Hinata, showing an uncharacteristic amount of strength, overpowered Deidara and pushed him onto his back. Hinata sat up, straddling the blond's waist, licked her lips, and did something Deidara didn't expect, but liked, a lot. "Deidara-kun" she moaned for no apparent reason.

She had never said Deidara's name before. And he liked the sound of it on her lips. But Deidara was pulled from what promised to be a very boring train of thought, considering the situation, by a slim hand passing under the hem of his pants.

"Argh!" Hinata yelled, throwing her pencil at her notebook.

Deidara groaned and sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 'Ah, it was a dream? Not cool!' he thought.

"Stupid fuckin-" Hinata started, but was cut off when Deidara grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him.

"What did I say about swearing?" he asked.

Hinata didn't answer; she just began to turn red. It was then that Deidara noticed how close he'd brought their faces, just over a centimeter apart. He instantly let go of her and both whipped their heads around away from each other. A blush rose to Deidara's face to match Hinata's.

"I think I should go home now." Hinata whispered, breaking the tension.

Deidara just nodded absently. Hinata shoved her things into her backpack and hurried towards the door. Deidara shot up from the couch to catch her at the door. He stood in front of it, blocking her escape. He gave her a hug, like always. She winced when he brushed a bruise on her arm. He noticed, and unlike the other times, didn't let her go. "Hinata-chan, why do you hurt?"

Hinata looked down at her feet, avoiding Deidara's stare. "No reason." she answered, skirting around the question.

Deidara tightened his hold on her slightly and she hissed in pain. "Please don't lie to me."

Hinata didn't answer, but her lower lip was trembling. Deidara pulled her back over to the couch and sat her down. He held both her wrists so she couldn't leave without giving him an answer.

"Please tell me."

Hinata shook her head, some tears falling unnoticed from her eyes. She pulled one of her arms out of Deidara's grasp, using a surprising amount of force. Deidara grabbed her by the upper arm, a little harder than he meant to. This time she yelped loudly in pain. Deidara lightened his hold but didn't let go. She wasn't going anywhere until she answered his questions. But to his dismay it didn't seem like she was planning on answering anytime soon.

So Deidara, for once, decided to take matters into his own hands. He pushed up her sleeve to get a look at what she was trying to hide. Hinata desperately tried to jerk her arm out of his grip, but it did her no good. He was not going to stand by.

In an instant he'd revealed her arm. In an instant everything changed. His breath hitched. Her pale arm was splattered with purple bruises. Some were older, but many seemed fairly new. "Hinata-chan, where did you get these bruises?" he asked. His voice was soft so he wouldn't scare her. He knew she was already scared. Her breathing was erratic and her eyes darted back and forth restlessly.

She opened her mouth, hesitated for a moment, and the changed her mind. She closed her mouth and chose to stay silent. Deidara pulled her into another hug. He gently buried his face in her shoulder, being careful not to brush anymore bruises. "Please Hinata-chan, I need to know. Please tell me." His voice sounded almost pleading to Hinata's ears, despite the fact that it was muffled by her shoulder.

Hinata didn't answer for a while. Deidara thought she wasn't going to answer at all. He was going to pull away when she finally spoke. "I tripped."

He sat up and chuckled. "You're a bad liar, Hinata."

Hinata struggled again, but her attempts were in vain. Deidara's grip was firm. As was his resolve. He most definitely was not letting her leave until he got the truth. Hinata soon tired of attempting to escape and gave up. Sighing in defeat she told him what he wanted to know. "It was my father."

Deidara froze. He'd heard her wrong, right? "What?"

"My father gave me every one of these bruises with the exception of one on my leg." She informed his, her voice monotone. She then used his shock to her advantage and broke out of his grasp. Shutting the door quietly she left.

Deidara was still frozen, blinking being the only movement he was capable of. He sat there for a while, trying to process the information he'd just gained. He didn't think he could. It was unthinkable to him.

Hinata was silent the two buses and four blocks to her house, but in her mind she was screaming. 'Why'd I tell him?!' she asked herself. She hadn't meant to tell him anything. She was going to just keep avoiding the question. But when he'd asked that last time, her last ditch effort hadn't been much of an effort. She knew she was a good liar. And then she'd just spilled.

'_Well, maybe you're finally putting some trust in another person.' _That lovely little voice in her head said smugly, as if it had accomplished the impossible.

'It was simply a slip of the tongue. That's all.' she assured her self and the voice. Though neither believed it.

'_Right.' _The voice didn't try to hide its disbelief.

Hinata then ignored the know-it-all voice in her head. Her house was eerily quiet that night when she walked inside. The TV wasn't even on. Not that anyone ever watched, but it made good background noise.

She went quickly into her bedroom to avoid confrontation with any of her family. Lying on her bed she reached into her backpack for her journal. Nothing. The pocket where she'd stuck the journal was empty.

"Hinata!" came a loud rage filled bellow came from somewhere in the house.

Fuck.

**-:-**

I take it most of you have been waiting for this chapter. Question is... Did it live up to your expectations?


	11. Even in the Head? Jeez!

Wow, I hated writing this chapter. But, it had to be done. And seeing as I'm the author-ess no one was going to do it for me. Oh! And regarding the lemon, I don't know where in the story it will be located, but there'll sure as hell be one since I've already started writing it.

**-:-**

Deidara stayed frozen in place long after Hinata had left. But his mind was in a frenzy. 'How could someone…? To Hinata-chan…? Why hasn't she…? What if she…? I can't just…' None of it made sense, even to him. He couldn't even finish his own sentences.

He suddenly came to a decision and snapped himself out of his stupor. Jumping up he rushed to the phone. He picked it up and quickly punched in a familiar number.

"Hey, it's me. I need your help… Yes… Hinata-chan's in trouble… No. I'm not sure!... Does that really make a difference?!... Thanks get the others and come over…" Deidara sighed in relief and hung up the phone. At least he wouldn't be alone in this.

**-:-**

Hinata slipped off her bed and into her closet .Time to play hide-and-seek. She shut the door silently and watched through the crack. Her father, followed by her sister, appeared in her room. Eyes shifting back and forth her father scanned the room. His eyes landed on the closet. Hinata prayed he would leave her be. Apparently Kami-sama was busy at the moment.

The door was flung open and bright light flooded into the dark space. Reaching in Hiashi dragged Hinata out by her collar. She struggled in his grasp. The struggling did no good, his grip only tightened.

Hinata looked over to her sister, praying for once she'd lend a helping hand. Hanabi didn't. She just smirked and held up a small purple book.

"Hanabi, it's only fair that Hinata knows what she's being punished for." Hiashi hinted, lifting Hinata higher off the ground.

Sick amusement danced in Hanabi's eyes as she opened the book to the first page. "'Sarcasm is my defense mechanism. It happens around everyone. Except Naruto-kun…'" she repeated the chosen line from Hinata's journal.

"So, you still like that Uzumaki boy?" Hiashi asked. Hinata shook her head frantically, trying to convince her father that he'd made an incorrect assumption. He ignored her and began to tighten the hand he'd moved from her collar to her neck. Hinata gasped for air. "I thought I told you to forget about the Uzumaki boy. He's too good for a wench like you." He dropped her to the floor and indicated for Hanabi to continue.

Hanabi began to recite the next chosen passage. "'I guess Deidara's rubbing off on me; Except Naruto-kun; And I guess Sasori-san too.'"

Hiashi crouched down to Hinata's level. Hinata licked her lips and eyed her father apprehensively. Reaching out he stroked her cheek gently. She pulled away from the touch. "What a cheating little whore I've got here." he whispered. He pulled his hand back and slapped her.

Hiashi held up a hand for Hanabi to begin again. "'I guess I'll tell you about my father now. He's an abusive bastard.'"

Hiashi's face darkened. "I think you deserve special punishment for that." he told Hinata. He pulled out a knife and let the light glint of the blade and into Hinata's eyes. Her eyes widened in terror. She screamed and lunged past her father in an attempt to escape. Hiashi lashed out with the knife at her passing form. It caught her shoulder and left a ragged cut

She grunted but ignored the pain and ran out the door. She stumbled through the hallway. Coming to the front door she planned on opening it and escaping out of the building, but she failed to break in time and ended up slamming into it painfully.

Her father followed calmly, along with Hanabi. The knife glinted in the light, blood clinging to the serrated blade.

"Look at you, trying to escape. How cute." Hiashi cooed and kneed Hinata in the abdomen. Hinata slumped over breathing heavily.

Hanabi began reading a fourth time. "'I began to despise her.' Her referring to me father."

Hiashi grabbed Hinata's arm and squeezed, waiting to hear the crack of bone. "You have no right to hate your sister. She is the future of this family. You're nothing but the trash." He gave her arm one final squeeze and the bone cracked in two. Hinata gasped but refused to scream.

Hiashi signaled for Hanabi and she began yet another time. "When I was eight the doctors said he got better. I disagree; I say he only got worse."

Hiashi lashed out and cut Hinata's unbroken arm with the knife. Hinata grit her teeth. "How dare you comment on my mental state. If the doctors say I got better than I did. You know nothing." He slashed her again, this time on the side.

Hnata's head was swimming and her vision was becoming blurry. Her lower lip trembled. Her breath came in short gasps. And Hanabi began yet again… "'My sister though, excelled at everything, so she never had to experience any of the pain.'"

Hiashi shook his head mockingly. "Envy is one of the seven deadly sins. It's not becoming, even of a worthless bitch like you." He punched her in the gut. She curled into herself from the force of the punch before her knees gave out and she slid down to the floor.

Hanabi's eyes gleamed sadistically as she started again. "'Most people think my cousin is to blame for the fatalism. But it's my father.'"

Hiashi raised an eyebrow. "So we're blaming me now? For your problems. Pathetic." He kicked her in the side. Which was made even more painful because of the knife wound.

He crouched down in fromt of her. "You must understand Hinata. I'm doing this for your own good. You must learn your place in the world." He punctuated his words with taps of his fingers on her forehead. Hinata's body shook and her hands clenched into fists. Her breath came in short gasps and her eyes were unblinking.

Hiashi chuckled and stood up. He stared down at his daughter disdainfully. "Disgusting." he hissed. Turning on his heel he walked into his bedroom.

Hanabi shut the journal with a snap. Hinata jerked her head towards the sound. Hanabi glared at her sister. Then she left Hinata alone by the door and returned to her own room. She never returned the diary. Not that Hinata ever wanted to see the thing again.

Hinata sat on the floor, slumped against the wall. Her hands were still clenched into fists so tight her nails were digging into her skin deep enough to draw blood.

'_Hinata, you have to get out of here!' _the voice in her head told her. Its voice was soft, not the usual loud and annoying. At least it had some manners.

'I know but –pant- let me find the –pant- strength first.' she answered. It seemed even in her head she needed to catch her breath. She sat motionless for a long moment, gathering the shreds of motivation still left to her.

Pushing off the floor off the floor she fumbled for the door handle before making her previously planned escape out the door. Her footing was uneven and lacked any amount of grace as she made her way down the hallway. To her it seemed substantially longer than usual, but she guessed that was all in her head.

The voice continued to offer encouraging words up until she got to the stairs where it decided to offer a piece of advice instead. _'Um, it might be safer to take the elevator. Unless of course you wanted to reenact the Grudge.' _It couldn't help but remind her Hinata that she was after all virtually crawling on the floor. Going down a flight of stairs would only add to the number and severity of her wounds.

Hinata nodded her head in acknowledgement and reached out a shaking hand to press the down button. She waited silently, rocking back and forth slightly, for the elevator to arrive. A loud ding and the rumbling of gears as the doors opened signaled Hinata to pick herself up long enough to board the elevator and sink back down to the floor inside.

The voice kept speaking to her in order to keep her conscious. By the time she was dragging herself out of the building and onto the empty side walk her vision was going black. The voice urged her into an alleyway. Hinat collapsed onto the ground and leaned against the alley wall. The rain drops hit her body, promising a drenching. Her eye lids fell closed and her breathing evened out. A pair of blue eyes framed by blond hair appeared on the inside of her eye lids just before she blacked out.

**-:-**

I'm dead, I'm so dead! But anyways, I won't be able to update for about a week(probably). So if you wanna know what happens next sooner, cross your fingers.


	12. And so we Stoop to Espionage!

You guys are in luck. I didn't have to go to Ashland. So I was able to get this chapter up on time. Whether or not that makes you any less mad at me, we shall see...

**-:-**

"Okay, let's call this Mission: Rescue the Sunshine." Kisame said, nodding to himself in self-approval.

The other three heads in the room turned towards the blue man, shock reflected in their eyes. "What?" Deidara growled.

Kisame chuckled nervously. "I, um, I was trying to lighten the mood."

Sasori cocked an eyebrow. "'Lighten the mood.'"

"Yea, you could cut it with a marshmallow." Kisame backed away from a now fuming Deidara. "I-it was a joke d-dude. Please don't k-kill me."

Deidara sighed and turned away from the blue man. "So Sasori, you and Kisame go-."

He was interrupted by Kisame. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, I thought I was going with you. Why're you changing my part in Operation: Save the Princess?"

Deidara scowled and clenched his fists. "It's because you're saying things like that! This is not a joke!" he yelled. He stomped out of his apartment, but immediately returned after realizing he and Itachi had to stay there until Sasori and Kisame finished their part. He turned his rather menacing glare towards Kisame. "Well, what're you waiting for?! Get moving!!"

Kisame having met up with Deidara's temper once before, chose the smart path and scrambled out the door. Sasori followed at a much slower pace; pausing to pat Deidara on the back "It'll be okay. We'll get her out, promise."

Deidara nodded tensely and Sasori disappeared after the blue man out the door. Silence invaded the apartment. He stood for a moment, letting the early morning sun shine in his eyes. After he calmed down sufficiently he looked around for Itachi. The dude had added nothing to the chapter as of yet. He found the man lying on the couch, asleep. He hung his head. Where was all the good help these days?

**-:-**

Sneaking into a school was not an easy task. Nor a particularly smart one, if you wanted to keep your job. Sasori would love it if he never had to step foot in this place again after today. And Kisame simply didn't work there. So all was good.

"So anyways, I think we should call this Invasion: Wicked Sorcerer's Fortress." Kisame said as he hefted Sasori onto his shoulders so he could climb over the gate.

Sasori hopped over the fence and landed on his feet on the other side. His great uncle was a cat. "Enough of that."

"Why?" Kisame asked as he heaved himself over the top only to fall promptly on his backside on the other side. His great grandfather was a shark. "Ow!" he groaned, forgetting all about their previous conversation because of the pain. He held up a hand up a hand so Sasori could help him up. No other hand appeared in his line of vision. He swung his eyes one way, then the other. Sasori was nowhere in sight.

"C'mon Kisame, quit lying around, we don't have much time." Sasori called out.

Kisame twisted his neck around and spotted Sasori behind him. "You're not going to help me?"

"No."

"Well fine then." he said in a haughty tone. "I can do it myself." He then pushed himself off of the ground and followed after his friend to the front door. "Do you think it's locked?" he asked.

"Knowing the people here, no." Sasori answered and reached out a hand to tug on the door handle. Nothing happened. The door didn't budge, but nor did any alarms go off.

"Well, what hap-?" Kisame was cut off by a vicious growl. Both men looked over to see a guard dog, of some breed they didn't recognize, making its way towards them, fangs bared. "They have a guard dog?!"

"Inuzuka." Saosori snarled.

**-:-**

Elsewhere Kiba sneezed violently.

**-:-**

Both men began to back away slowly. Sasori looked behind them trying to find a way into the building. He spotted an anomaly in the rows of glass and bricks the made up the ground floor. "Kisame, seven meters behind us there's an open window." He said, alerting his friend to their escape route.

They continued towards the window slowly, so as not to tempt the dog to charge them. Finally the window appeared in their peripheral vision. They both scrambled over the sill and into the room. Kisame closed the window behind him.

"We're in luck; this is the right class room." Sasori said. He walked over to the computer, turning it on.

"Good." Kisame followed, standing behind his friend seated before the computer. They waited in silence for the computer to boot up and ask them for a password. The screen came up and Sasori typed in the first thing that came to mind, 'Hentai'.

The incorrect password message flashed across the screen.

'Ecchi.' No.

'IchaIcha.' No.

'Paradise.' No.

'IchaParadise.' No.

'IchaIchaParadise.' No.

'IIP.' No.

'Jiraiya.' No.

"Damnit." He swore. He looked over the desk for any clue. His eyes landed on a picture. "Who's that?"

Kisame looked over to the picture of a grinning black haired boy with a pair of orange tinted goggles on his head. "It's one of Itachi's relatives, I think."

"Does he have a name?"

"It's…" He stood thinking for a moment. "I don't remember."

Sasori let his head fall into his hands. It was silent for a moment before Sasori's head shot back up. "Duh!" He suddenly reached for the picture. Pulling it out of its frame he flipped it over. "Uchiha Obito."

"Yea, that was it!" Kisame yelled as Sasori typed it in. This time the screen changed and Kakashi's background appeared. Kisame shivered. "Dude, that's just creepy."

Sasori averted his eyes from the rather tasteless picture and opened the class list as quickly as possible. It popped up and he scrolled down to the 'H's. He stopped on Hinata's name and scrolled sideways until her address appeared. He held out a hand and Kisame handed him the cell phone. Putting it to his ear he wasted no time with pleasantries.

"42011 Netsuko Drive Apartment number three." he told the person on the phone.

"Thanks." Deidara said and hung up.

Sasori flipped the phone shut and handed it back to Kisame. They both went silently over to the window. Sasori gestured for Kisame to open it and check the outside for the dog. Kisame scowled but did so. The dog didn't appear and they both slipped back over the fence, Kisame no more gracefully than the first time.

**-:-**

As soon as Deidara hung up he moved over to the couch, and Itachi. Shaking him violently he attempted to wake his friend up. Itachi groaned and sat up looking towards Deidara with clouded eyes. "Wha? Where's Sasori? Wasn't I supposed to go with him..? Shit!"

Deidara held him back as he attempted to run out the door. "Relax. We need to go get Hinata-chan."

"So you've got the address?"

Deidara nodded and walked out the door, Itachi following after him. Deidara had a new respect for Hinata by the time they had ridden the two buses and walked the three blocks to her house. It felt like an excruciatingly long time, although it was really only an hour.

When the apartment complex came into view Deidara broke out into a run with Itachi jogging behind him. They came to a stop in front of the intercom. Deidara jabbed at the button for apartment three. "Hinata-chan? Hinata-chan are you in there? Answer me!" he yelled into the intercom.

There was no answer. Itachi pulled on the door handle but it wouldn't budge. Deidara continued to yell into the intercom until Itachi pulled him away. "She's probably on her way to school right now. We just have to wait. Sasori is waiting to call the police. Once we find Hinata we can call him and he can tell them everything you told us."

Deidara nodded and began pacing along the sidewalk. Itachi leaned against the wall. After an hour Deidara's repetitive trek was suddenly halted when Itachi tugged on his hand. He lost his bablance and ended up falling into Itachi's lap. Deidara froze. This was new…

He was suddenly shoved from his friends lap, much to his relief. A snarl marred Itachi's face. "Just quit pacing!"

Deidara scowled but plopped down in the middle of the side walk. It was unnervingly quiet. Neither he nor Itachi made a sound. The road was empty and the birds and such other creatures seemed to have disappeared.

A strangled moan broke the silence.

Both men jerked their heads up and looked around wildly for the source of the noise. Itachi traced it to an alleyway next to the apartment complex. They both jogged over to the mouth of the alley. Deidara spotted a head of messy azure hair. He recognized it instantly. "Hinata-chan!"

**-:-**

Well, how much do you guys hate me?


	13. Suddenly Insanity's Not So Far Away

This would be the longest chapter yet. And I put it out early, just because I'm so nice! If any of you ntice this one's been beta-ed. Poor Judo got very mad about my lack of commas. But they're in there now!

**-:-**

What was that infernal beeping? It was invading her mind and driving her mad. Perhaps they were torturing her. Who 'they' were she didn't know, but obviously someone out there didn't like her. Ah yes, a face was coming to mind. She couldn't quite put a name to the face. Wait, it was on the tip of her tongue. It was… oh never mind, she gave up.

"Make it stop, " she groaned.

Someone in the room gasped. Hinata forced her heavy eyelids open and look towards the speaker. Leaning over her was a woman who she guessed was either a doctor or a nurse. "Good, you're awake." She turned around to fiddle with the knob on a machine. The beeping faded into the background.

She nodded. "Where am I?" she asked, her voice sounded strangled.

"You're in the hospital. Try not to speak too much," she ordered.

She nodded and lied back, preparing to fling an arm across her forehead. Suddenly a hand clamped around her wrist. "Don't do that," the woman ordered.

"Why?"

The woman handed her a mirror. Hinata raised an eyebrow. The woman moved the mirror so it reflected her face. Her face was fine, save for the black scribbles covering her forehead. She squinted, trying to decipher the messy scrawl.

** Hi Hina-chan! Are you feeling better? I hope so!  
****Chances are if you're reading this I'm in school.  
****I'll see you as soon as I get out. So don't disappear  
****on me. Follow the doctor's orders. Me and the  
****guys want you to get better as soon as possible.  
****-Deidara **

She groaned. "And he insisted on using my forehead as a notepad, why?"

The woman chuckled nervously. "I don't know really. I think he thought you'd find it funny. He was just trying to cheer you up, I guess."

"That idiot," Hinata mumbled under her breath. "Who're you now?"

The woman gasped. "I've forgotten to introduce myself, haven't I? I'm your doctor, Shizune."

Hinata nodded. "Could you ban him," she pointed at her forehead, "from my room?"

Shizune looked at her curiously. "Why would you want to ban your boyfriend from seeing you? He seemed really worried about you."

Hinata's eyes widened in shook for an instant before narrowing in anger. "I don't have a boyfriend," she told the doctor, her voice dangerously soft.

"But does he know that?" Shizune asked, her voice amused.

Hinata groaned and let her head fall into her hands. "Just keep him out of here, please?"

Shizune shook her head, grinning. "No way," Hinata scowled as the doctor left the room.

**-:-**

"Want a donut?" Arashi asked, holding one out to his silver haired partner.

Kabuto scowled. "We're working right now."

Arashi took a bite of the refused donut as he stepped into the elevator, followed by Kabuto. Arashi's face grew serious as the elevator rose. "I know that, Kabuto. But I can still eat a donut and do my job."

Kabuto looked doubtful but decided to stay silent. The elevator dinged and both men stepped out. The donut disappeared and both men put on serious faces as they reached their destination. Kabuto raised a hand and knocked on the door.

Heavy footsteps could be heard before the door knob turned. The door swung inward to reveal a proud looking man. "Who're you?"

Kabuto flashed his police badge. "Are you Hyuuga Hiashi?"

"Yes." Hiashi turned his suspicious eyes to Arashi.

Arashi sighed and brought out his badge. Hiashi nodded and waved the two in. Both men followed him to seat themselves in the living room.

"Do you know why we are here, Hyuuga-san?" Arashi asked.

Hiashi remained expressionless. "No."

Kabuto pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Hyuuga Hiashi, you are accused of physical abuse of your daughter, Hyuuga Hinata."

If Hiashi felt any emotion his face didn't reflect it. "So you are here to arrest me?"

Arashi shook his head. "We're here to investigate the charge."

Hiashi nodded. "Then by all means, investigate."

Arashi stood and headed to the door. He answered Hiashi's question before it could be asked, "I'm going to talk to the neighbors. They could be possible witnesses." With that, he left.

Kabuto stood up and began to walk around the apartment, looking around with sharp eyes. He walked down the hall opening all the doors on the way. Coming to the last bedroom he could only guess as to the missing occupant. "Your daughter's room?"

"Yes, that's Hinata's room."

Kabuto nodded and walked in. He walked around the room, examining everything. He dug through her draws and flipped through her notebooks. He searched everywhere looking for any shred of evidence.

In the living room Hiashi sat on the couch, staring at the wall.

He shook himself out of his trance-like state as Kabuto walked out of Hinata's bedroom. Kabuto sat on the chair across from the couch. "I need to ask you some questions, Hyuuga-san."

Hiashi nodded. "Go right ahead."

Kabuto pulled out a notepad and pen. "What happened two nights ago?"

"When I came home last night Hinata had locked herself in her room. I tried to force the door open but she must have had a chair or something up against it. I eventually gave up and sat in the living room waiting for her to come out. I must have fallen asleep because I never saw here leave. But Hanabi, my younger daughter, told me she saw Hinata leave the house last night, bleeding. And a security guard told me he saw blood streaks on the floor the next morning."

"So you're saying that after she came out of her room that night all of her wounds were present? And that you didn't see her at all that night?" Kabuto asked.

Hiashi nodded. "I don't like telling people this, because I have a lot of pride. But it's endangering my daughter now. Hinata has episodes of masochism. During these episodes she has hallucinations of the wounds she creates herself being created by me."

Kabuto let his mask slip and looked at Hiashi in shock. "So you're saying your daughter is insane?"

"Unfortunately. It's not something I like to admit." Hiashi said with a sigh.

"And why haven't you done anything about this?" Kabuto asked.

"I told you, my pride got in the way. But now my eldest daughter's hurt because of it."

Kabuto nodded and closed his notepad. "Since there are no other leads so far, your claim will be investigated and whether or not the case stays open will depend on that."

The door opened and Arashi walked into the room, scratching the back of his head. "Nobody knows anything. None of them would make good witnesses." He turned to his silver haired partner. "How about you Kabuto? Find anything?"

Kabuto shook his head. "Nothing, there's no evidence. This case will have to be closed unless more evidence is found."

Arashi's eyes widened in shock. "But what about Hinata-san's wounds? We still need an explanation for those."

Kabuto held up his notepad. "I have a statement for Hyuuga-san. It will of course be investigated."

Arashi looked disappointed but didn't press the matter and turned to head back out the door. Kabuto spared a moment to look back at Hiashi before following the blond.

**-:-**

Hinata was dizzy, really dizzy. Shizune said that was because she'd lost a lot of blood, and had a fever-something about being out in the rain all night. Hinata didn't really care why she was dizzy; she just wanted to make the room stop spinning. Shizune told her that sleep would help, so she tried to sleep. And hadn't he told her to get better as soon as possible? So why wasn't he helping?

"Hina-chan are you okay?! Don't die on me!" Deidara yelled as Hinata attempted to fall asleep.

Hinata groaned. "I am NOT dying." She rolled over to face away from the annoying blond. "Please leave. You're not good for my health."

Hinata didn't see it, but Deidara was immensely hurt by her words. Sasori saw it though. "You know if you're not in critical condition you should entertain guests, even unwanted ones, when they take the time to visit you."

Hinata scowled at Sasori. She wanted to roll over so she wouldn't have to face him, but then she'd be facing Deidara. "Meanie," she whispered and pulled the covers up over her head.

A sad frown marred Deidara's usually cheery face. He stared silently at the shapeless form he knew to be Hinata. Sasori watched his friend before shaking his head slowly.

Kisame sighed in exasperation. "Well shit, I should have just gone with Itachi instead of staying here. You're all acting like she's going to die. She made it per-."

"Please be quiet, this is a hospital." Shizune said, walking into the room and cutting the blue man off. She looked over to the lump on the bed, "Hinata-san, I need you to get up, we have some tests to run."

Hinata sat up, looking at the doctor curiously. "I thought you said you were done with the tests. Why the sudden change?"

Shizune looked at the floor instead of at her patient. "We're investigating your father's claim."

Hinata frowned. "What claim?"

"That your father's abuse is only a hallucination. That all of those wounds you have are self-inflicted. And above all, you're insane."

Terror bled into Hinata's eyes. "No, no, that's impossible! Why would I do that?! It was him, I swear! He's lying!" she screamed.

Shizune shook her head. "We looked into your family's medical record. It seems many people in your family have had past problems with insanity." She then walked over to the bed and grabbed Hinata's arm, pulling her along to the door.

Her progress was stopped when Deidara grabbed onto Hinata's other arm. Shizune and Hinata looked behind them at the blond. Shizune's eyes reflected sadness and annoyance. Hinata's eyes reflected fear which was in turn reflected in Deidara's eyes.

"The tests might take a while. You guys should leave now. You should be able to come back tomorrow." Shizune told them before dragging Hinata out the door and down the hall. Deidara stared after them, trembling.

**-:-**

I know, I know, I put it up early just to end it there. And you just can't seem to escape my crappy cliff-hangers.


	14. Damn String Won't Cut!

I'm putting this one up early as well. Just because I'm so nice.

**-:-**

Deidara was pissed, to say the least. He stormed out of the hospital, the other following, rather embarrassed by his actions. It took him three tries to open the car door. He was about to step into the car when someone grabbed his shoulder. He jerked his head around to glare at the one halting his progress, who happened to be Sasori. Sasori would have backed away, if he didn't know that Deidara wouldn't hit him. Or so he hoped.

Deidara reached up, slapping Sasori's hand away and making to sit in the driver's seat once again. Sasori wouldn't allow it. He grabbed Deidara's arm and pushed him towards Kisame before slipping into the driver's seat himself. Deidar growled but didn't push the matter and sat in the passenger seat. Kisame was forced to squeeze his large frame into the small backseat, much to his displeasure.

Sasori pulled out of the parking lot and onto the highway, pushing the speed limit to please him friend. He was about to turn left, gong towards their apartments, but Deidara ordered him to go the other way. Both Sasori and Kisame looked at him curiously.

"We're going to Hinata-chan's old house." he said in answer to their silent question. His eyes stared steadily out the windshield at the road. His mouth was set in a thin line. The voice he spoke with was cold and commanding. They would have asked him if he was insane, and perhaps he was, but he was also dead serious.

They were lucky the door was open when they got there. Apparently the fates were not in favor of Hinata's father. Deidara's gate was swift and sure as he walked up to the apartment door. He raised a hand and pounded his fist on the door. "Come out Hyuuga! I wanna talk to you, ya bastard!"

Kisame and Sasori both gulped. Standing back they decided to let their friend take out his anger on the door. So Deidara continued his assault on the poor door, pounding his fist into the wood and yelling profanities at it. That is until a security guard arrived at the scene.

"What're you doing?" he asked.

Deidara turned away from the door, his fist still trembling with the urge to continue pounding on the door. "Where is Hyuuga-san?" he managed to get out between clenched teeth.

The guard looked at the three suspiciously before answering. "He left this morning and has not returned yet."

Perhaps the fates were on his side.

Deidara nodded and turned on his heel, his steps still ever so graceful as he entered the elevator. The other two followed, leaving the guard alone to ponder what had happened.

In the car once again Deidara sat drumming his fingers on the dashboard.

"Where to next?" Sasori asked, looking at his friend warily.

Deidara sighed and ran a hand over his face. "Home I guess." Sasori nodded. "But, I want you to call the police and find out about this claim."

"Why don't you do it? Or why don't we go there and ask them ourselves?" he asked.

Deidara's fist clenched, his nails dug into his palm. He turned to look at Sasori. Sasori could only look at him for a moment before turning back to the road with a shudder. That was all the answer he needed.

Deidara turned back to the road as well. His eyes wide and unblinking stared out at the road, seeing nothing. His pupils expanded, overtaking his iris, leaving it nothing but a blue ring around twin black holes.

**-:-**

The tests lasted all night. They had therapists ask her question after question, in an attempt to get a clear picture of her mental state. After they finally finished with their interrogation they left to go analyze the data they collected and the doctors dragged her off to another room. There they took x-rays of her brain and samples of some fluids from her body. She heard something about brain diseases before they sedated her and her world fell into darkness.

He was there when she woke up. Sitting in a chair, he was concentrated on his textbook and didn't notice her wake up. His backpack hung on the back of the chair, though this was a minor detail she didn't notice at the time. Just like she didn't notice the hand he held, or the circle he was drawing onto it with his thumb. She later blamed the sedatives for this.

Shizune came in almost immediately after she awoke. She startled Deidara and he dropped the hand he'd claimed for who knows how long. Shizune didn't stay long, only long enough to inform Hinata that the test results would take a week to process and that her release date would depend on that.

It was then that Hinata's week long jaunt in hell began. A gnawing anxiety crept into the pit of her stomach. She knew it would say there for the duration of her stay. She rolled over to face away from the blond and pulled her covers up over her head much like the last time he came to visit.

But unlike the last time this time Deidara wasn't going to let him wallow. He walked around the bed and pulled the covers down to reveal her head. She tried to tug them back up but he held them firmly in his grasp. She shrank away from him, into her pillow, fear and apprehension evident in her opalescent eyes.

Deidara would have been hurt if he didn't know it wasn't aimed at him. What it was aimed at was the week long period she'd have to spend waiting to hear her fate. But none-the-less, even if those eyes weren't aimed at him, he still hated to see them. He vowed then and there to be there everyday every moment he could, with her. Sure he had finals coming up, and he was graduating this year, but he could study anywhere.

Hinata ignored him and moved to lie on her stomach. Without acknowledging his presence at all she turned her head to the side, once again facing away from him. A small grin found its way to his lips as he reached out to brush a lock of hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. He then went back to his chair, forcing Hinata to turn her head again. He just grinned even wider and went back to studying.

Deidara found out that night that the tips of Hinata's hair were immensely fun to play with. And very distracting. He was going to have a hell of a time studying in her presence.

Hinata found it hard to concentrate in Deidara's presence as well. But she didn't appreciate this fact until he was gone. It was then that she was allowed to think with no distractions. With thinking came imagining. And with imagining came nightmares. The only comfort she had was the ghosts of a circle lingering on her hand.

Deidara returned everyday, just like he promised himself he would. His three friends never came with him; they did have their own finals coming up. He did manage to get some studying done, as Hinata was asleep most of the time. He heard from one of the nurses that she had asked for sedatives so she could have a dreamless sleep. He asked her about this during one of the rare occasions she was awake in his presence. She'd mumbled something about nightmares before pulling her covers over her head and ignoring him.

Deidara was disappointed that after all this time she still insisted on ignoring him. She was acting like a pouting child, which highly amused him. He sighed in exasperation at her childishness and made to go back to studying. A patch of pale flesh that stood out against the deep blue of the blanket caught his eye.

He grinned happily and took the hand in his own. Despite the obvious approval of such an action Deidara still expected her to pull the hand away; perhaps it was some cruel joke. Much to his surprise he was allowed to keep the hand for the duration of his stay that day.

**-:-**

Look, no cliffy! Oh, you see this fluff? I suggest you remember it.


	15. Dreams1 Reality0

And so comes another chapter. I may get kind of distracted, just to forwarn you. So don't be surprised if updates are a week or more apart. I'll try to keep on track but I'm working on a Rurouni Kenshin story now... So Kenshin fans should look out for the first chapter of that.

**-:-**

Hinata sat, Deidara sat, Sasori sat, Itachi, sat, Kisame stood. All were waiting to hear the verdict of Hinata's fate. Today could be Armageddon, or not. It all depended on what the doctor said, if she ever got there!

"Where is she?" Deidara whined. "I'm bored!"

The others nodded in agreement, and Hinata added a yawn to hers. Deidara looked at her worriedly. "Are you tired Hina-chan?" Hinata nodded absently. "Then you should go to sleep. We'll wake you up when she finally gets here."

"There's no need," Shizune said as she walked into the room.

All heads turned towards her. "There you are woman. What took you so damn long?" Kisame asked.

Shizune looked disapprovingly at the blue man. "I do have other patients to attend to. And besides, I just got the test results."

Everyone perked up and Hinata looked at the doctor with pleading eyes. Shizune smiled at the girl. "You're perfectly sane. No brain diseases that could cause problems in the future either."

They all sighed in relief, the suffocating tension in the room disappearing. "When can I leave?" was the first thing out of Hinata's mouth.

"Whenever you're ready. You've already been checked out," Shizune told her before exiting the room.

Hinata looked down at her attire. "I need to change," she whispered.

Itachi handed her a bag. "It's the best I could find."

Hinata took the bag and disappeared into the bathroom. A smirk appeared on Itachi's face the moment the door clicked shut. Deidara eyed his friend warily. "What did you get her?"

"Nothing indecent," Itachi assured him. "It's just, have you ever seen her without that sweatshirt of hers on?"

Deidara shook his head and a moment later the bathroom door slammed. Hinata stormed out, a scowl on her lips. "And how do you expect me to go outside in this?" she asked gesturing to the thin azure tank top she wore. A slow grin spread across Deidara's face, which thankfully, Hinata didn't see. He'd have to thank Itachi later, and get rid of all of her sweatshirts.

"Well, you can hardly wear a long-sleeved shirt, what with that cast and all," he answered.

Hinata lifted her other arm, before wincing when pain shot through her. She forgot about the knife wound. "And what about these wounds? I am not walking out of this room with them in view."

Itachi held up a black sweatshirt, which he'd conveniently forgotten to give her earlier. Hinata snatched it up and pulled it on quickly. It didn't do much considering the zipper seemed to be broken, the sleeve covering the cast was missing, and it was hardly thicker than the tank top. Oh, Itachi would pay for this later.

Itachi smirked, Deidara grinned, Hinata sneered at them both, and Sasori and Kisame just eyed the three warily. "I hate you," Hinata informed Itachi before disappearing out the door. The others jumped up and followed her out the door. They met up with her around the corner.

Kisame led the way to his truck, taking the driver's seat when he got there. Itachi took the passenger seat, and Deidara and Sasori squeezed into the back seat with Hinata between them.

The drive was silent. No one spoke, for whatever reason. From the radio came mindless music no one aid attention to. Deidara stared out the window, not noting his surroundings at all. That was until a weight appeared on his shoulder.

He looked over to find that Hinata had commandeered his shoulder as her pillow. Deidara grinned happily. This was such an ego boost for him. Although in reality it was purely coincidence that his shoulder was chosen, he preferred to think that she was finally warming up to him. No, he refused to dwell on the possibility that she had fallen asleep and gravity had taken over, guiding her head to his shoulder. No, the truth was not to be believed when dreams were so much better.

**-:-**

Deidara was ecstatic. He got to carry Hinata, something he may very well never get to do again in this lifetime. In accordance with this fact he walked slowly, savoring every minute of it.

The trip ended all too soon as he set the sleeping girl on his bed and pulled the deep navy blue blanket over her. She curled into a ball, pulling the blankets tighter around herself. Deidara watched her for a moment, that same happy grin still in place.

Deidara sat on his couch, staring at his TV, but seeing nothing. The old rerun anime played on and on. The first main character goes into a slump. The second has amnesia. The first is crying. The second is cured. Now they're trying to kill each other. Now they're working together. And last but not least they're at each other's throats for the last time. And of all of this, Deidara caught none.

**-:-**

Hinata woke up to find her head resting on an unfamiliar pillow. The scent was the only familiar thing about it, though she couldn't quite place it. She pushed her exhausted body of the mattress and rolled to place her feet on the floor.

Yawning she stepped out of the room and into the hallway. Walking down the hallway she recognized her surroundings. Her head fell into her hands and a groan left her lips. "Why am I here?" she asked as she made her appearance in the living room.

Deidara's head jerked towards her voice, the anime he'd never noticed in the first place forgotten. "What'd ya mean?"

"Why am I here in your apartment?" she asked. She didn't question why she was also sleeping in his bed; she didn't want to dwell on the thought. It, she had decided, was an uncomfortable subject, and therefore would not be discussed to spare her the embarrassment.

"Isn't it kind of obvious?" Deidara seemed to insist on answering her questions with one of his own. Hinata raised am eyebrow in question. "Well, you need some place to stay. I'm not letting you go back to that house, even if you asked."

Hinata tried to glare at him, but the attempt was lost when she swayed on her feet. Deidara shot up to drag her over to sit next to him on the couch. "I'm okay, just a little tired." she mumbled.

Deidara nodded but chose to stay silent, allowing Hinata to nod off again. He turned back to the TV in time to see a fist rise. Then the news began to run and Deidara was just chuckling softly at the report on the break-in at the high school when there was a loud pounding on his door.

He jumped up; telling the person at the door he was coming in hopes they would stop knocking. They did, but then they started yelling. The words "Deidara, darling," this word was spat out, "open this fucking door. It's me, you know, you're fiancé." could be heard through the door.

Deidara shuddered, he recognized that voice. Its harsh tones were a dreaded screeching to his ears. Deidara laughed nervously and made no move to open the door, but he did check to make sure it was locked. It was, thank the heavens. "H-hello Tayuya,"

**-:-**

Yes yes, I know this chapter is short. But I'll make you a deal; I'll put up the next chapter just as soon as I get a desired number of reviews. It could be ten minutes from now; it could be ten days from now. It's all up to you. I won't tell you how many reviews I'm looking for, but I will tell you, the next chapter's a mile-stone! Also, can anyone figure out what anime Deidara's watching? I think it kind of obvious... But that's just me.


	16. If Doors Could Talk

The original title of this chapter is "Confessions of a Not So Teenaged Drama Queen" Which I like better. Thought you'd like to know. Now read...

**-:-**

The doorbell had indeed woken Hinata up, just as Deidara had feared. She was still groggy and only caught snippets of what was being said. Those snippets being "darling", "fiancé", and "Tayuya".

When her brain finally processed this information she was curious. Stretching she sat up and looked to whoever was holding the conversation. She saw Deidara… talking to the door?

"Let me in you damn bastard. I have every right to be here!" And now the door was talking back?

"I'm, ah… kinda busy right now. Can you come back later?" Deidara asked.

"No I can not 'come back later'! I came all the way here on the goddamned fucking train and now I'm standing out here in the cold. I will not come back later now!" The door seemed angry to Hinata.

"Um… its spring and you're indoors," Deidara pointed out.

"I don't care, let me in!" the door snarled. "Or, do you not want to graduate?"

Diedara gulped and shifted his weight from one foot to the other nervously. He hesitated for another moment before going reluctantly to open the door.

It was then that Hinata understood. He'd been talking to someone on the other side of the door. Not the door itself. She must still be half-asleep. But she was glad she hadn't voiced any questions about it. If she had she knew she'd never hear the end of it from Deidara.

Hinata's attention was drawn back to the door when Deidara was forced to jump back as the door was shoved open and the 'door's' voice made her entrance.

Deidara scrambled backwards as she appeared in the doorway. She wore a black and white skullcap on her head. Tufts of pink hair stuck out from under said skullcap. Her narrowed eyes were a dark mauve in color. Her clothes were nondescript, all in matte tones. The most shocking thing about her was most definitely her temper.

The first thing out of her mouth as a person and not a door was "Who the hell is she?"

Deidara sighed dejectedly. "Can we watch the language in my own apartment, please?"

Tayuya smirked. "Fuck, no."

Deidara scowled as he moved to stand between Tayuya and Hinata. "Look Tayuya, I'm really not in the mood to deal with you right now. Can you please come back tomorrow or something?"

Tayuya sneered. "What, to busy with the whore behind you to spend some time with your fiancé?" she asked, her tone light and mocking.

Hinata appeared directly behind Deidara. "What the fuck did you just call me?"

Deidara hung his head. "Not you too."

Tayuya walked forward to stand before Deidara. "Do you not like me, DeiDei-kun?" she asked, her voice dripping with faux hurt.

Deidara twitched at the nickname, but answered truthfully, "Y-yea, pretty much."

"How cruel, to say such things to my face. Bastard," she said in a broken voice. She shed a few false tears for added effect.

Deidara frowned. He didn't like want to be so mean to her, but she practically forced him to. Hinata listened to their conversation, hoping it would shed some light on the situation. It wasn't.

"Look Tayuya, I suggest that after I graduate next month we just call this whole thing off. Then you can find someone who actually likes you," Deidara tried to reason with his fiancé.

"Hell. No," was Tayuya's answer.

Deidara sighed in frustration. "But, but, I have to follow my heart."

Tayuya raised one thin eyebrow. "'Follow your heart'?"

Deidara nodded excitedly. "Ah-huh, which means I can't marry you."

"What the hell? What the fuck is your heart telling you?" was Tayuya's rather loud answer to her fiancé's request.

Deidara wasted no time in answering. "That I'm in love with someone. And therefore cannot marry you."

Tayuya threw her head back and laughed for a moment. Then she brought it back down to look at Deidara, a toothy grin in place. "What poor girl are you stalking now?"

"Hey, I am not stalking Hina-chan!" he yelled in defense of the accusation.

It didn't take long for Hinata to notice that she'd been brought into the conversation. And it took her only a moment more to figure out how. "Wait, what?!" she yelled, forgetting the fact that she was right next to Deidara.

Deidara jerked his head away and held his injured ear. "Ow."

Tayuya watched this exchange with suspicious eyes. She concluded that the girl, whom she still assumed was a whore, was the 'Hina-chan' he claimed to be in love with. She thought for a moment, contemplating just how she should react to this little bit of information. Oh, she could have so much fun with this.

Grin still in place Tayuya turned to leave. "It seems you need some time to sort things out with your 'girlfriend' over there. I'll be back soon enough, and I do hope things are sorted out accordingly." And with that, she was gone.

The room was silent after the door slammed, until Hinata broke it. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't use me to attempt to get out of unwanted engagements again," she said as she made her way back to the couch.

She was almost to her destination when Deidara grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him. She would have pulled away, had the grip on her shoulders not been so tight.

"What makes you think I was lying?" he asked. Hinata never answered, she just stared at him with empty opalescent eyes. "I wasn't lying," he told her firmly. Still no answer. "I really do love you." Nothing. He didn't even think Hinata was looking at him.

He hadn't really expected an answer anyways. But that did nothing to blunt the blade of disappointment the stuck itself in his gut. He didn't continue trying to convince. He felt he'd gotten the point across from saying it straight out.

He didn't let her go though. Instead he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers. His insistent eyes stared into her unseeing ones. Neither one knew how long they stayed like that. Eventually Deidara did leave and disappear into his bedroom.

Hinata stood for a while longer, still staring at nothing. Eventually she too moved and returned to the couch she had vacated earlier. She stared at the TV for a few minutes before realizing it was turned on. She picked up the remote and flipped the TV off. She then simply sat, waiting for sleep to claim her.

**-:-**

In his room Deidara was trying desperately to get to sleep. He was already exhausted because of the stressing week he'd had, and then Tayuya pays a visit. Those never failed to push his limits.

He tried to just lie there with his eyes closed. That didn't seem to work and his mind began to wander. He replayed the events of the day in his mind. From his first view of Hinata with out that horrid sweatshirt, to him getting to carry her, to Tayuya's visit and his rather odd confession. And so as he ended up replaying the conversation with Tayuya he realized something, something important.

He shot up, letting the covers fall to expose his bare chest. He let his head fall into his hands as he yelled to himself, "Idiot!"

**-:-**

Now tell me truthfully, how many of you really expected things to go the other way around?


	17. Well, Its, Um, On?

First off, I've updated the story. Yay for me. On another note, I would like to (though against my better judgment) apologize for the long three or so month wait. I didn't really get on the computer much, and I sort of got so wrapped up in so many other things that I completely forgot. I wasn't GOING to apologize, but my best friend goaded me into doing so. In fact, she wrote this thing for me, though I do SORT OF feel this way. (Note: I, Merks, typer of this apology, would like to mention that as I type this, Ryusei is laughing like a maniac.) Ryusei: Wow, you must hate me. All of you! Life is cruel. **T.T**

**-:-**

Hinata woke up that morning to the rising sun peeking through the curtain. Groaning as she sat up she grabbed some clothes and wandered off to take a shower. The hot water soothed the sore muscles she had gained sleeping on Deidara's couch.

Deidara got no sleep that night. He could only sit watching the full moon glow through his window. He remembered dozing off a couple of times but those were only nightmare filled escapades brought on by his own stupidity and fears. He really was an idiot.

Deciding staying in bed was useless Deidara rolled himself out of bed only to end up on the floor. He was really tired. He pushed himself to his feet and slowly made his way to the bathroom.

Deidara didn't notice when he went to flip the bathroom lights on that they already were, or that the shower was running. Oh the gifts of insomnia. He wasn't more than three steps into the room when a growl alerted him to the other occupant of the room. It took his lethargic brain a moment to figure out who the figure behind the opaque curtain was. The second it clicked in his mind a small trickle of blood streamed out his right nostril.

"Are you deaf you idiot?! Get the fuck out of here!" Hinata yelled as she wrapped a towel around herself. Deidara hastily wiped the blood that trickled down onto his lips away. He then turned slowly, looking behind him at Hinata's angry figure for as long as possible, before exiting the room and closing the door securely behind him. Well, that woke him up.

Hinata left for school after an uncomfortable breakfast filled with glares, nervous laughs, and an apology from Deidara. Deidara left just shortly after, rushing to find his friends.

**-:-**

"So… Tell me why we're here," Kisame said as he plopped down on Sasori's couch.

"Indeed," Sasori commented as he carried a box through the door. "Isn't this stuff supposed to go to your house?"

Deidara let out a long sigh as he lowered himself onto the box he had recently set down. "Guys, I'm an idiot."

"So you finally came to that realization on your own, huh?" Itachi chuckled as he brought the last box through the door. "But seriously, what's going on?"

Deidara stared down at his hands shamefully. "Tayuya stopped by last night."

Kisame and Itachi looked at him questioningly while Sasori's face clouded over with worry.

"Who's Tayuya?" Kisame asked.

Deidara gulped. "My fiancé."

"You bastard!" Itachi yelled as he shot up to rush at Deidara. He himself might not care for Hinata, but he didn't like Deidara doing that to anyone. Deidara let Itachi shove him off the box he'd been seated on. He hit the ground with a thud and only stared sadly up at a fuming Itachi. Itachi calmed down after a moment and returned to his eat on the couch. Wearily Deidara picked himself up off the floor and returned to his perch.

"What did you do that's got you so worried?" Sasori asked in a soft voice.

"I told her I loved her," Deidara answered meekly.

"Which one?" Kisame asked, scratching his head.

"Hina-chan of course!" Deidara yelled out indignantly.

"Then what's so bad about it?" Kisame asked. "She doesn't seem like the sort to become clingy."

"In fact, she doesn't seem like the sort who's ready to fall in love period." Itachi added.

Deidara looked dejectedly down at the floor. "I wasn't planning on telling her," he started, his voice wavering slightly. "I know she wasn't ready for it," he took a deep breath. "But I was desperate to get rid of Tayuya. It just sort of slipped out."

Sasori frowned worriedly. "So Tayuya heard this confession of yours?" he asked slowly, fear edging into his voice. Deidara gave a small nod in answer. "I see the idiocy in that," Sasori declared as Deidara plodded off to the bathroom, leaving Sasori to finish the tale.

"So why aren't we beating the shit out of Deidara playing with Hinata-chan like that?" Itachi hissed after he heard the door close.

"Because if he had a choice, which he's trying to give himself, there'd be no competition," Sasori answered. A retching noise could be heard coming from the bathroom and Sasori stared at the door with pitying eyes. "Deidara hates Tayuya."

"Then why's he marrying her?" Kisame asked, confused. "Don't tell me he's really that stupid."

"He's not," Sasori assured him. "It's an arranged marriage."

"All the more reason to beat him up," Itachi murmured.

"Stop being so harsh," he told Itachi before continuing. "Deidara's father has been holding Deidara's schooling over his head. Deidara can't graduate unless he's engaged to Tayuya. Hell, he wouldn't even have been able to take half the courses he is if he hadn't made a deal. He minored in business because his father wanted it."

"So he made a deal so he could take the college courses he wanted. But in exchange he has to marry Tayuya," Itachi mused. "Wouldn't he be able to just call the engagement off after he graduates? Obviously his father didn't think things through."

Sasori shook his head. "I'm sure Pain-san has a plan to take care of that loophole. It's not like him to miss things, especially something as obvious as that. And now that Hinata-san's come into the picture I'm sure he'll try and use her to his advantage."

"Advantage how?" Kisame asked.

"He'll probably threaten her to force me to go through with the marriage." Deidara answered as he walked out of the bathroom. He walked over to the sink to gulp down a glass of water. "And if he finds her a threat he'll probably have her killed," he added solemnly.

Itachi and Kisame looked shocked and looked to Sasori for confirmation "Pain-san would and could do such a thing."

"So what're you going to do?" Kisame asked frantically. "You can hardly just let her die."

Deidara spun around to glare at Kisame furiously. "You really think I'll just let her die because of my mistake?" he asked, his voice loud and harsh. Kisame shook his head, hoping to pacify his friend. "Good." Deidara breathed deeply for a moment, calming himself, before rejoining his friends in the living room.

"You okay?" Sasori asked.

"Fine," Deidara mumbled although his face was still pale.

"So, what're we going to do?" Itachi repeated Kisame's question.

Deidara looked over to Sasori. "You have a second bedroom, right?" he asked. Sasori nodded slowly, he thought he knew where this was going. "Could she stay here with you?"

Sasori nodded again. "I'd be happy to let here stay with me. But, how does Hinata-san feel about this?"

"I haven't told her yet," he answered sheepishly. "But that's not all. I also need you two to pretend to be together. For added precaution."

"Aw, but I wanted to pretend to be her boyfriend!" Itachi jokingly whined.

Deidara ignored him and looked at Sasori imploringly. Sasori sat thinking for a moment. He didn't mind pretending to be with Hinata, as long as she knew it was pretend. But he knew Deidara wouldn't risk losing Hinata before he even really got a chance. Of course Deidara telling her to pretend to date any guy was risky, to him mostly; she probably wouldn't take well to being ordered around.

"I guess this shows how much trust you place in me," he finally said. "Enough to trust me not to whisk her away from you."

Deidara's eyes widened. "You wouldn't dare?"

Sasori sighed at his friend's stupidity. "It was a joke."

It took him a second to gather his courage. Them he picked up the phone and dialed his number. Hinata picked up and told her the proposition. There was some wincing on Deidara's side before he hung up.

"Well?"

"Well, its, um, on?"

**-:-**

This is where I left off to let it sit for three months.


End file.
